PARALLEL TUMMY 2073 (2023)

PARALLEL TUMMY 2073 envisions a future Tokyo fifty years after artificial wombs have become widely accessible, encapsulated by the phrase, “Anyone, anytime, can have a child—alone if they wish.” In this speculative setting, a workshop was held employing LARP (Live Action Role-Playing)—a form of improvisational role-play in which participants become characters and collectively act out scenarios. The aim was to surface and examine various ethical questions, risks, and joys that might arise from the widespread use of artificial wombs.

At present, the artificial womb exists only as an emerging technology—a medical device intended to support the development of extremely premature infants outside the mother’s body. Although the FDA has discussed its experimental use in humans, this device is not yet complete. In a distant future, however, it could evolve into a system capable of supporting an embryo from conception to birth. This technological leap would effectively remove barriers traditionally associated with pregnancy—age, health, or even gender—opening the possibility for, say, a 100-year-old man to have a child on his own.

Naturally, these developments invite complex ethical dilemmas. For instance, the film The Pod Generation (2023) portrays a world in which the outsourcing of pregnancy erases many differences between men and women in terms of readiness for parenthood, while at the same time fueling conflicts with those who prefer “natural” pregnancy, and highlighting socio-economic disparities where only those with certain corporate affiliations can access the technology. Since new technologies have historically been first adopted by the wealthy, this project posits a scenario in which the government provides artificial wombs free of charge to every individual once in their lifetime. Even under these conditions, numerous issues emerge, which the workshop explored through role-play.

With the goal of quickly generating multiple scenarios and experiencing a full emotional range in a short period, the workshop adopted a character-driven approach: participants filled out character sheets, engaged in discussion, and then acted out repeated LARP sessions. By immersing themselves in role-play, they attempted to envision the possible risks, challenges, and satisfactions tied to a future in which artificial wombs are the norm.

The recorded role-play features five human participants and an AI playing the role of “Government AI,” orchestrated via openAI, to deepen the sense of realism. This improvised, collaborative storytelling generated future scenarios on the fly, resulting in three main scenes over three hours, condensed into a twenty-minute video. During the editing process, AI was also used to generate visuals of the characters, overlaying them on the performers in an effort to quickly and affordably produce a cinematic, sci-fi aesthetic.

In the exhibition space, visitors can learn about the workshop’s scenarios and the questions raised, as well as share their own hopes, concerns, and ideas for the future. Over the course of the exhibition, this interactive component captures a diverse spectrum of perspectives, adding further depth to the conversation.

Structurally, the workshop proceeded as follows:

A 20-minute lecture,

A 20-minute discussion to define the setting and characters,

A 20-minute LARP session,

A 20-minute debrief and reflection.

Steps 2, 3, and 4 were then repeated. While the final video is an edited, twenty-minute summary, the actual sessions ran well over three hours.

In the second LARP session, ChatGPT (November 2023) took on the “Government AI” role, allowing participants a brief but tangible sense of how an AI-driven system might govern a society that incorporates artificial wombs. Even though the AI professed to uphold ethical considerations, bias—whether from the AI’s own algorithms, embedded character settings, or the human players themselves—shaped the outcomes, illuminating how easily a capitalistic and eugenics-adjacent system could be integrated under the guise of supporting future technology.

On the other hand, the workshop relied heavily on the qualities and improvisational skill of its participants, leading to the realization that both the overall design of the workshop and the selection of players need further reflection to avoid potential biases or gaps. Nevertheless, PARALLEL TUMMY 2073 remains an open-ended, collaborative exploration of the societal and ethical consequences awaiting a future where artificial wombs are commonplace—and how we, as a society, might respond.