Whenever we talk about artificial intelligence or A.I., we think about robots and Japan (maybe if you are like me, also about a movie). You probably have never associated it with the world of art. Probably, until you finish this article.

What were you doing 42.000 years ago? Nothing, right? However, some ancestors of us painted seals in a Nerja cave in Málaga. These are considered some of the oldest works of art in the world.

Dalí, Mondrian, Van Gogh, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphaell, Donatello…
Just a few of the names that pop in our mind when we think about great artists (and ninja turtles as well), but we may never think of Microsoft, Apple, or IBM.
The world of technology has made incredible developments that were used by artists in some of their creations, however, a machine has never been able to create creative pieces.
This, my friends, has changed in the past few years, thanks to A.I. and Machine Learning.

A.I.

Artificial intelligence is a combination of algorithms that helps machines to develop abilities similar to human beings.
These kinds of developments allow certain systems to:

“Think” like humans: automate decision making and problem-solving.
“Act” like humans: robots are an example of this.
“Reason” like humans: these are systems that emulate the style of reasoning that people elaborate.
Systems that “act rationally”: to my understanding, these are the most incredible of all, because they try to mimic our whole behavior.

Machine Learning

In the world of artificial intelligence, machine learning would be systems that learn like humans (could you imagine sitting between the Terminator and R2D2 in high school?).
Their job is to identify complex patterns and turn them into thousands of data. After analyzing them, they can predict future behaviors.
The interesting thing about it is that they get better at it with time, without needing human intervention.

Art

How does all of this connect to the world of art?
Anxious, right?
Well, even though it may look like two different worlds, these last couple of years, some machines have created art pieces. Not just related to visual arts, but also literary texts, scripts, even music.

Edmond Belamy’s Portrait

“Min (G) max (D) Ex [log (D (x))] + Ez [log (1-D (G (z)))]”

This formula, which looks like something Einstein would write on a blackboard and would then turn into an atomic bomb, is, however, the one used by an A.I. to create a portrait similar to the ones from the XVIIIth century.
To do this, a system was taught with more than 15.000 pictures created between XIVth and XXth centuries.
This idea came from a French art collective called “Obvios”. They combined art with A.I. as an experiment between creativity and machines.
You are probably wondering “who would ever want a piece like this?” Well, a buyer who acquired it for $432.500.

World’s First Thinking Statue

IBM has always been a referent in the world of computers. However, in 2018, it became one in the world of sculptures and art.
Watson, its A.I., created an artistic installation after “inspiring” with pieces, articles, and music about Gaudí.

The Next Rembrandt

Rembrandt died on the fourth of October in 1669. However, in 2016 a new portrait of his came to light.
This is the story.

ING is a company in charge of banking and insurance that also sponsorships in different art and culture spaces.
It needed to combine both worlds, however, could this be done? How could it combine such a modern spirit with a classical and traditional one?
Advertising agency JWT Amsterdam came up with a solution.
After “feeding” an A.I. with more than 346 paintings from Rembrandt, it created a version of its own. One that showed how a new creation from the artist would look like.
That’s how an original portrait was created. “The Next Rembrandt”.

These pieces have generated lots of controversies. Should they be considered art? Are machines artists? Is the work from painters, sculptures, creative people in general in danger because of these machines?

Some Thoughts On This Matter

A.I. has woken a lot of interest from different personalities.
Two of the greatest minds of our generation, such as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, have opposing opinions towards this subject.

In one corner we have the eccentric entrepreneur (Elon Musk, even though they are both eccentric) who thinks we should be careful with what we do with it because if the A.I. becomes very intelligent, we could lose control over it. Keep in mind that it works with nuclear plants and military bases, among other things.
On the other hand, there’s Mark, who responds that we shouldn’t be so pessimistic because with A.I. we could evolve as a species, and use it to create a better future.

*Where do you stand on this subject? Personally, it has given me the chills, while it has given James Cameron a couple of ideas for some new projects.*