Nicolas Gourault (FR) is an artist and filmmaker based in Paris with a background in visual arts and visual studies. He has worked with Forensic Architecture before graduating from Le Fresnoy – Studio national des arts contemporains. His work is imbued with this double training, navigating between online investigations and the use of new media as documentary tools. He explores the power relationships embedded in technologies and builds counter-narratives through testimonies and experimental image-making. His artworks have been exhibited in contemporary art venues but also in film festivals.

Unknown Label captivated the jury with its innovative approach to documentary storytelling, seamlessly integrating animation as the core narrative medium and redefining the documentary film format. The animation is more than mere illustration, it is integrated as the very essence of its narrative; the documentary could not exist without it, and it is an exemplar for the New Animation Art category of Prix Ars Electronica. The film opens with a simple, single-color animation illustrating the process of segmentation, introducing viewers to the unseen individuals who label training data for AI vision systems. As the story delves deeper into the complexity of their work, social dynamics, and the discrimination faced by these workers, the animated visuals evolve in complexity as well. The narrative crescendos with a city-scale 3D data visualization, revealing the staggering amount of invisible human labor that goes into training our AI systems. The documentary navigates complex themes with clarity and empathy, elevating the discourse on AI ethics and globalization.