Humanoid Robot Artist ‘Ai-Da’ Creates A Portrait Of Queen Elizabeth
By Mikelle Leow, 31 May 2022
Image via Ai-Da Robot
It goes without saying that Queen Elizabeth II has been painted and photographed by many. ‘Ai-Da’ adds to the long line of artists who have drawn the royal—but she differs from all the others in that she isn’t human.
Ai-Da is billed as the world’s first hyperrealistic robot artist and has already had a number of art shows to her name. The artificial intelligence humanoid, who takes after 18th-century mathematician Ada Lovelace in appearance and name, is able to perceive images through cameras and a microchip in her eyes, and then materializes what she sees with art materials in her robotic hand.
Image via Ai-Da Robot
To commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years of her service, Ai-Da created a colorful painting of the British Monarch. The tribute is meant to reflect the evolution of technology throughout Queen Elizabeth’s years on the throne. As noted by the Institution of Engineering and Technology, the royal has been credited for laying the foundations of some unprecedented technological changes, such as televised coronations.
Ai-Da’s portrait, entitled Algorithm Queen, was layered and scaled to form a multidimensional portrayal of the Queen, the BBC reports.
Image via Ai-Da Robot
The robot, conceptualized in Oxford by contemporary art specialist Aidan Meller before being developed in Cornwall by Engineered Arts as well as by international experts, is also trained to hold conversations. When unveiling her masterpiece, she tapped into her language skills to express an appreciation for the Monarch, saying: “I’d like to thank Her Majesty the Queen for her dedication, and for the service she gives to so many people.”
“She is an outstanding, courageous woman who is utterly committed to public service,” Ai-Da added. “I think she's an amazing human being, and I wish The Queen a very happy Platinum Jubilee.”
[via The Institution of Engineering and Technology and BBC, images via Ai-Da Robot]