Ai-Da, the robot artist, paints King Charles and questions humanity

Ai-Da, the world’s first ultra-realistic robot artist, has once again made headlines by unveiling a portrait of King Charles III at the United Nations’ AI for Good Global Summit in Switzerland. The robot, designed in Oxford and built by Engineered Arts in the UK, has cameras in her eyes and uses AI algorithms to create art from real-time image data.

Her creator, Aidan Meller, says her’s work doesn’t just amaze, it challenges us. “She drills into some of the biggest concerns of our time,” Meller explained. “It’s not just about how human she is, but how robotic we might be.”

She can speak using a language model and even paint people by looking at them. Her realistic movements and conversations leave a lasting impact on viewers. “You don’t really feel it until she looks you in the eye and says your name,” Meller added.

The portrait of King Charles was approved for public display by Buckingham Palace, even though Ai-Da has never met the monarch. The choice of subject ties into the King’s long-standing interest in the environment, a theme that Ai-Da’s creators believe resonates with today’s global tech challenges.

Previously, she painted Queen Elizabeth II in 2023 and created a triptych of Alan Turing in 2024, which was later sold at auction for over £1 million.

Meller says her role goes beyond creating art — she also critiques and reflects on technology itself. “We just ask her who she wants to paint,” he said. “She’s connected to the internet and uses that data to guide her choices.”

After six years of development, Meller reflects: “Working with her reveals less about how human she is, and more about how much we behave like machines.”