Lab dedicated to creating art with artificial intelligence
An AI expert shares a painting created by an algorithm at the Art and AI International Forum in Yangpu District.
China’s first art and artificial intelligence lab was launched in Yangpu District Thursday to study how smart algorithms can be used to create art.
The Art & Artificial Intelligence Lab (AAI) was unveiled at the Tongji University College of Design and Innovation, gathering the world’s leading AI scientists and artists.
“Art is about discovery, inspiration and awakening, while AI is about to change the world,” Lou Yongqi, vice president of Tongji and dean of the college of design and innovation, told the Art and AI International Forum at the college. “Before the world is to be changed, we need a new round of inspiration led by art."
The world’s top professors and artists in the fields of art, design, computer science and cultural research shared their latest research and discussed how technology can be mesh with the creation of art during the two-day forum.
A portrait created with AI made a historic appearance on the auction block at Christie’s in New York City in 2018 — the first artwork created by an algorithm to be offered for auction in the world of fine art.
The artwork created by AI titled "Portrait of Edmond De Belamy" was auctioned for US$432,000.
The artwork titled "Portrait of Edmond De Belamy" was auctioned for US$432,000. To generate the portrait, scientists trained the AI to recognize visual elements in fine art with 15,000 images painted between the 14th and 20th centuries.
“AI is expected to become the source of art creativity in the next decade,” Zhang Zhoujie, a professor at the college, renowned digital artist and one of the founders of the AAI lab, told the forum. “The lab aims to break the two main obstacles, technology and applications, for AI art creation."
According to the blueprint, the lab will initially confirm the definition of “AI art,” and promote the concept to the public. More artists will be invited to the lab in the next phase to create art with intelligent algorithms.
Additional AI artists from across the world will come to Shanghai to get involved in the program, create more artworks and expand the boundaries of AI art, Zhang said.
The international forum will be held annually to share the lab's latest developments, while a major exhibition with the first group of artworks developed by AI will take place in September.
Professors and experts from home and abroad launch the Art & Artificial Intelligence Lab.
