Generation AI

Portrait series exploring how our children’s lives will be profoundly shaped and changed by artificial intelligence.

Calvin (age 2) will never learn to drive, as his
first car will drive for him.

Calvin's generation will grow up in a world being fundamentally changed by Artificial Intelligence (AI). Calvin's portrait itself is an example of the growing influence of AI in his life. It was painted with the help of an artificially creative robot named artonomous.

Working under the direction of artists Pindar Van Arman, artonomous used more than two dozen algorithms to augment their creative vision with 14,597 individual brushstrokes. Together they created this portrait as an example of the possibilities available to Calvin and his generation, Generation AI.

Calvin’s is the first of a series that will match a child’s portrait with an observation of how AI will change the subject’s life within their lifetime. Hundreds of portrait studies were completed to refine the AI behind the robot painting them. Since the completion of his portrait, eight more have been finished with more portraits be created on a weekly basis.

Artists and Process

Generation AI is a collaboration between artist Pindar Van Arman, photographer Kitty Simpson, and the robot artonomous.

Pindar and Kitty provide the imagery for artonomous to study and then paint. It has already completed hundreds of studies using a broad array of AI including feedback loops, neural networks, and procedural algorithms.

With each painting, the results are studied by Pindar and Kitty and artonomous’ algorithms are improved.

Pindar then attempts to predict how AI will influence their lives as they mature under its growing influence.

Generation AI will feature new portraits and predictions throughout 2021.