AI Robots and Human Artists Collaborate in Real-Time Art Creation

Sougwen Chung, a Canadian-Chinese artist, has been integrating artificial intelligence and robotics into their art since 2015. Chung’s work involves live performances where they draw alongside robots, creating art in real time. Their latest project, “Spectral,” was showcased at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January 2025. Here, robotic arms, guided by AI, paint based on data from Chung’s earlier works and real-time brain activity. Chung’s robots, named DOUG, have evolved over time. DOUG 1 aimed to mimic Chung’s drawings but introduced errors that became part of the creative process. DOUG 2, launched in 2017, used a neural network trained on Chung’s art to generate new drawings. The Victoria and Albert Museum acquired DOUG 2 in 2022. DOUG 3 was influenced by New York City’s street activity, while DOUG 4 responds to Chung’s brain signals. Chung’s approach challenges the notion of AI as a threat to creativity, instead viewing it as a collaborator that expands artistic possibilities.

Source: www.technologyreview.com