Member-only story
Is she an artist or just a machine?
Ai-Da challenges everything we know about art, creativity and technology
When an artist like Ai-Da, the ultra-realistic AI robot, enters the art scene, it begs the question: is art just about technique and precision, or is it about capturing something distinctly human? Here we have Ai-Da — a robot with cameras for eyes and algorithms for intuition — creating paintings and sculptures, collaborating with humans, and even musing on the human condition. This would be intriguing enough if Ai-Da were simply a novelty, but her impact goes deeper, touching on how technology shapes not only what we see but who we think we are.
As she puts it, Ai-Da's purpose is to “express the experience of being fully human.” While that’s a thought-provoking aspiration, it raises a glaring contradiction: Can an algorithm that lacks consciousness and emotion ever convey something as complex as human experience? Ai-Da’s creators, Aidan Meller and his team, see her as more than a robotic paintbrush; they view her as a reflection of our increasingly complex existence with technology. This vision speaks to the broader societal currents where technology doesn’t just assist or entertain us but shapes our perceptions of self, privacy, and creativity.
Ai-Da’s existence sparks conversations about the changing relationship between art, artist, and machine…
