“AI Ghosts in the Machine” is a series that explores the unintended emergence of human faces within AI-generated videos, despite explicit instructions to exclude such figures. This project delves into the phenomenon where, even with prompts designed to prevent the appearance of faces, the AI still produces fleeting images of human visages. These instances raise intriguing questions: Is this an example of machine pareidolia, where the AI sees patterns reminiscent of faces in abstract data? Are these ghostly appearances a manifestation of the machine’s interpretation of what it believes I desire to see, despite my explicit directives? “Aesthetics of Decay” serves as the thematic backdrop for this series, where the beauty of deterioration and the breakdown of form are juxtaposed with the emergence of these spectral faces. This theme specifically addresses the loss experienced through technological failures—loss of privacy, data, anonymity, and memories. Every technologically proficient person has felt the frustration of technological failure: the sinking feeling of losing data, the endless cycle of obsolescence, and the exhausting need to upgrade. This frustration has fueled a sub-set of consumers who destroy their devices to reclaim power over planned obsolescence. I engage with this frustration by “punishing, breaking, and killing” electronics, photographing their destruction, and juxtaposing these images with layers of digital manipulation. This process transforms technological decay into aesthetic compositions, highlighting the inherent beauty in their breakdown. In “AI Ghosts in the Machine,” I have collected these unexpected frames, those ephemeral glimpses of faces, and manipulated them to underscore the concept of “AI ghosts in the machine.” By isolating and recontextualizing these images, I aim to highlight the uncanny ability of AI to defy strict parameters and conjure elements of human presence from the void. These ghostly faces, arising from the digital decay of structured data, invite viewers to question the relationship between human intent and machine interpretation, the boundaries of artificial creativity, and the enigmatic essence of digital consciousness. Inscribing these “AI Ghosts in the Machine” onto Satoshis in the Bitcoin Blockchain brings an additional layer of significance to the work. In the current state of technology, the blockchain represents permanence, decentralization, and the immutable recording of data. By embedding these spectral images into the blockchain, I aim to preserve their ephemeral nature in a medium that defies decay and alteration. This act of inscription transforms the ghostly faces from transient digital artifacts into enduring entities within a decentralized ledger. It juxtaposes the fragility of AI-generated serendipity with the robustness of blockchain technology, creating a dialogue between fleeting digital consciousness and permanent digital memory. This conceptual framework not only preserves the “AI ghosts” but also enshrines them within the context of contemporary technological advancements, exploring the intersection of AI creativity, digital decay, and blockchain permanence.