Outfront Media has partnered with Google Deepmind on “Imagine If…,” a four-week interactive campaign that turns New York’s subway system into a distributed digital art gallery powered by generative AI and rider submissions.
The initiative invites commuters to scan QR codes on Outfront’s digital transit screens and submit a written prompt describing something imaginary or inspirational. Each participant receives an instant AI-generated visualization, while a select number of submissions will be further developed by five New York-based artists — one from each borough.
Those artists will use Deepmind’s Veo video-generation model to turn chosen prompts into short video artworks. The finished pieces will run across thousands of Outfront digital displays in subway stations, effectively creating a rolling, citywide exhibition sourced from rider input.
The program culminates on December 14 with a showcase in Times Square, where selected videos will play on Outfront’s Two Times Square digital spectacular.
Participating artists — Lauren Camara, Ariana Cimino, Molly Goldfarb, Subway Doodle, and Jeff Wave — were selected by creative agency Superheroes. Outfront says this is the first campaign to combine Deepmind’s Veo with live public participation at scale.
Google Deepmind has positioned the project as an early example of artists using AI tools in a collaborative way rather than as a replacement, echoing comments in its own blog post about new “participative art formats” supported by generative models.
(Image: Outfront Media)