ADVERTISEMENT King Charles III just got a royal portrait – painted not by a human, but by a robot.
In a scene that felt like something out of a dystopian Ridley Scott movie, a painting of the monarch created by a robot named Ai-Da was unveiled at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva. But Ai-Da isn’t just your typical robot.
Titled “Algorithm King”, the oil painting is the latest work by Ai-Da Robot, the world’s first ultra-realistic robot artist. Created in 2019, Ai-Da is able to draw and paint thanks to high-tech cameras in her eyes, complex AI algorithms and a specially-designed robotic arm.
Her latest regal piece was shown alongside her earlier portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II, “Algorithm Queen”, which she painted to mark the Platinum Jubilee.
Speaking at the UN’s AI for Good Global Summit, Ai-Da said: “Presenting my portrait of His Majesty King Charles III is not just a creative act, it’s a statement about the evolving role of AI in our society, and to reflect on how artificial intelligence is shaping the cultural landscape.”
Created by gallerist and researcher Aidan Meller, Ai-Da can draw, paint, sculpt, and even engage in conversation, thanks to a sophisticated language model.
“Ai-Da chose to paint His Majesty King Charles III because he has an admirable and thoughtful leadership style,” Meller told Euronews Culture. “As both a monarch and a long-standing advocate for the arts and sustainability, King Charles emphasises some concerns that Ai-Da’s work also seeks to explore – the tension between traditional and the contemporary, for example.”
Ai-Da has already made history. Earlier this year, a painting by the robot sold at Sotheby’s for a staggering one million dollars. But the true significance of her work might lie less in the gallery and more in the debate it provokes.
“Ai-Da’s work challenges us to reconsider long-held assumptions about human ingenuity and the purpose of art itself,” Meller explained. “More broadly, the portrait invites discussion about the ethical use of AI in the arts: how humans and machines can work together collaboratively.”
