If America has stood for anything, it's surely forward-looking optimism. In New York, Chicago, Detroit and other shining cities, its soaring skyscrapers pointed to the future. But has the bubble burst in the 21st century? "We don't see ourselves striding toward a better tomorrow," columnist Frank Bruni wrote in the New York Times last month, citing research that found 71% of Americans believe that this country is on the wrong track. "We see ourselves tiptoeing around catastrophe. That was true even before Covid. That was true even before Trump."

The artificial intelligence at the heart of a new art exhibit, "me you," does not judge you necessarily, but it does analyze and interpret what you have to say. Sponsored by Amazon Web Services, the sculpture by artist Suchi Reddy listens to what you have to say about the future and renders your sentiment in a display of colored lights and patterns. The artwork is a centerpiece of a new exhibit at the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building, which is opening to the public for the first time in 20 years. The exhibition, called Futures, opens Nov. 20. Viewers are invited to interact with the sculpture, which listens for the words "My future is …" at several circular listening posts integrated into the sculpture.