ATAK Academy is an educational initiative linked to the international co-production project led by Keiichiro Shibuya, aimed at nurturing the next generation of artists and arts management professionals.
For its second edition, Takashi Ikegami, a leading researcher in physics and artificial life and Professor at the University of Tokyo, will be invited as the lecturer. The session will be moderated by Keiichiro Shibuya, followed by a dialogue between the two speakers.

ATAK Academy vol.2
“From Chaos and CA to AI, ALife, and LLMs”
Through computers, previously intractable problems became visible. Cellular automata (CA), which discretize time, space, and states, emerged, and CHAOS, a form of deterministic uncertainty, was discovered. Human intelligence sharpened new intuitions through these developments. Artificial Intelligence (AI) placed intelligence itself within computation, yet for a long time it remained limited. Then, at a certain point, it underwent explosive evolution. In this talk, I will discuss this trajectory through the perspectives of Artificial Life (ALife) and Large Language Models (LLMs).
(Takashi Ikegami, University of Tokyo)

Overview

Date: April 18, 2026 (Sat)
Time: 14:30–16:30 (Doors open 14:00)
Venue: Daikanyama Club Hillside Salon
Lecturer: Takashi Ikegami
Dialogue: Takashi Ikegami & Keiichiro Shibuya

Admission:
General ¥3,000 / Students ¥2,000

Tickets:https://atak-academy-vol2-0418.peatix.com

A networking reception will follow (until around 17:30).

Organizer: ATAK Tokyo Co., Ltd.
Supported by: Creator Support Fund

Profile
Takashi Ikegami (Professor, The University of Tokyo)

A physicist and leading researcher in complex systems and artificial life. Former Professor at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. His work includes evolutionary modeling, experiments with self-propelled oil droplets, and bird flocking simulations. He has also gained international recognition for projects connecting science, sound art, and android research, receiving awards such as the Japan Media Arts Festival and Ars Electronica.

Notes

• Bringing outside food and drinks is generally not permitted, though bottled beverages of around 500 ml are allowed.
• A live streaming URL will be sent to online ticket holders 30 minutes before the event (no archive available).
• The event will be photographed/recorded for promotional use. Please note that audience members may appear in event photos or video recordings.
• The reception after the lecture is open to all participants (drinks available for purchase).