Nestled between a public library and an elementary school in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighborhood is an unusual sight. Chat Haus, a so-called “luxury coworking space,” invites visitors to witness a unique blend of humor, art, and commentary on AI.
At first glance, the scene feels familiar. Figures type away at computers, others sip coffee, and someone appears deep in a phone conversation.
Yet a second look reveals the twist: everything, including people, is made entirely from cardboard.
A Workspace for Cardboard Robots
Chat Haus is not a traditional coworking space. Instead, it is a temporary art installation created by Brooklyn-based artist Nim Ben-Reuven.
Inside, moving cardboard robots “work” at desks, mimicking the busy atmosphere of a modern office. A humorous sign offers desk space for “$1,999 a month,” while another proudly describes the area as “a luxury co-working space for chatbots.”
Ben-Reuven designed Chat Haus as a personal response to rapid changes in the creative industry.
As AI tools like Midjourney and ChatGPT reshape design, videography, and writing, he felt the pressure firsthand. Freelance jobs became scarcer. Clients increasingly turned to automated tools.
Rather than growing bitter, Ben-Reuven turned to humor. “It was an expression of frustration in humor, so I wouldn’t get too bitter about the industry changing so quickly,” he said.
“I’ll just fight back with something silly I can laugh at myself.”
Using Laughter to Invite Reflection
Ben-Reuven did not want his piece to sound angry. In his view, negative messaging often feels defensive and alienates audiences. Instead, he adopted a lighter tone.
In the end, the exhibit attracted visitors of all ages (children, adults, and skeptics.)
During a conversation at a café across the street from the exhibit, groups of passersby frequently paused to admire Chat Haus.
At some point, three young women stopped to snap photos. Moments later, a group of elementary students sprayed their adult companions with curious questions.
Clearly, the approach worked: Chat Haus sparks conversation without pushing viewers away.
Cardboard as the Material and Metaphor
Ben-Reuven’s choice of cardboard was deliberate. For years, he has used the material in his art, and in graduate school, he even built a life-size replica of an airport terminal out of cardboard. Over the past decade, between freelance jobs, he crafted a collection of “cardboard babies” which wererobotic sculptures animated with small motors.
Yet the material also carries symbolic weight. “The impermanence of cardboard, the way it collapses so easily, mirrors how I feel about AI’s role in creative fields,” Ben-Reuven explained.
AI-generated images might impress on Instagram. However, with closer scrutiny, many fall hollow. Similarly, the cardboard figures may look sturdy at first, but buckle under real pressure.
To drive the point home, he compared AI art to junk food. The immediate satisfaction it offers often fades quickly, leaving little substance behind.
Humor and Seriousness
Although concerned about AI’s impact on creative industries, Ben-Reuven maintains good perspective.
He recognizes that, compared to global crises (war, terror, trauma), AI’s encroachment into art is a relatively minor issue.
“I mean, AI, in terms of the creative world, seems like such a light thing compared to so many of the other, like war, things that are happening in the world,” he said.
This sense of proportion helps keep Chat Haus grounded.
Future Plans for Chat Haus
Currently, Chat Haus is on display at 121 Norman Avenue in Brooklyn. However, the exhibit is temporary as the building awaits renovation permits.
Ben-Reuven hopes to keep the installation up until mid-May. If possible, he would like to move the project to a larger gallery space.
Expansion plans, however, come with challenges. With limited room at home, storing more cardboard creations could quickly become a logistic problem.
Still, Ben-Reuven remains hopeful. “I just thought it would be funny to express this idea of a whole bunch of kind of cute, kind of creepy, baby robots typing away because of our ChatGPT prompts in some warehouse somewhere,” he said, laughing.
“Using as much electricity as Switzerland does in a year.”
