An anthropomorphic robot claims to paint portraits "with no intention of replacing people."

▲ Let humans decide whether it's art or not , said ultra-realistic robot Ai Da. Photo AFP

AFP

La Jornada Newspaper, Friday, July 11, 2025, p. 6

Geneva. Ai Da unveiled her new portrait of King Charles III this week, depicting the smiling British ruler with a flower in his buttonhole. However, this robot assures us that she has no intention of replacing humans.

Ai Da is a gynoid, an anthropomorphic robot with a female appearance. His portrait of British mathematician Alan Turing, one of the founders of computer science, sold at auction late last year for $1 million. It was the first time a work of art created by a humanoid robot was auctioned. But during the presentation of his work, Algorithm King , in Geneva, on the sidelines of the AI ​​for the Common Good summit, the robot explained that the value of his work cannot be measured in money.

The value of my art is to serve as a catalyst for discussions that explore the ethical dimensions of new technologies , Ai Da said in an interview with AFP at the British diplomatic mission, where the new portrait of King Charles III will be displayed.

The idea is to stimulate critical thinking and encourage responsible innovation for a more just and sustainable future .

The ultra-realistic robot, one of the most advanced in the world, is designed to resemble a woman, with an expressive face, large hazel eyes, and a bob-style wig.

Its name is a tribute to Ada Lovelace, a pioneer of computing in the first half of the 19th century.

His arms betray his machine. The metal is visible and can be interchanged depending on the art form Ai Da wishes to pursue: painting, drawing, or sculpture.

Methods and inspirations

When I create art, I use a variety of AI algorithms , the robot describes. I start with a basic idea or concept I want to explore, then reflect on the purpose of the work by asking myself, "What is it going to express?" he adds.

King Charles uses his position to raise awareness about environmental conservation and interfaith dialogue. I designed this portrait to celebrate that , Ai Da explains, hoping the king will appreciate her efforts.

Aidan Meller, a specialist in modern and contemporary art, led the team that created Ai Da in 2019, made up of artificial intelligence experts from the universities of Oxford and Birmingham.

In the midst of the debate – which often turns into a confrontation – between human creators and AI, fed at low cost with their talent and that of their predecessors, Meller wants to see in his robot an ethical artistic project, whose objective is not to replace painters .

Ai Da nods. There's no doubt that artificial intelligence is transforming our world, including art and human creative expression, but I don't think AI or my art will replace human artists , she emphasizes.

Instead, he says his goal is to inspire viewers to reflect on the positive use of AI, while remaining aware of its risks and limitations .

When asked whether a painting made by a machine can truly be considered art, Ai Da insisted that his work is unique and creative. Whether humans decide whether it's art or not is an important and interesting point .

Reuters

La Jornada Newspaper, Friday, July 11, 2025, p. 6

Dubai. In Dubai, dinner could soon come with a side of source code. Woohoo, a restaurant that bills itself as the dinner of the future , will open its doors in September in Downtown Dubai, very close to the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.

The food at Woohoo will be prepared by humans for now, but everything else—from the menu to the atmosphere and service—will be designed by a culinary icon named Chef Aiman.

According to Ahmet Oytun Cakir, one of Woohoo’s founders, Aiman ​​– a portmanteau of AI (artificial intelligence) and man (man) – was formed from decades of food science research, molecular composition data, and over a thousand recipes from culinary traditions around the world.

Elevate creativity

Although Chef Aiman ​​can't taste, smell, or interact with his dishes as a cook normally would, the model works by breaking down cuisine into its components—such as texture, acidity, and umami—and reassembling them into unusual combinations of flavors and ingredients, according to Aiman's creators.

These prototypes are refined by human chefs who test the combinations and provide feedback, in an effort led by Dubai-based celebrity chef Reif Othman.

Their responses to my suggestions help refine my understanding of what works beyond pure data , Aiman ​​explained, in an interview with the interactive AI model.

The goal, its creators say, is not to replace the human element of cooking, but rather to complement it.

Human cooking won't be replaced, but we believe (Aiman) will elevate ideas and creativity , said Oytun Cakir, chief executive of hospitality company Gastronaut.

Aiman ​​is designed to develop recipes that reuse ingredients that restaurants often discard, such as meat trimmings or fat.

In the long term, Woohoo's founders believe Aiman ​​could be licensed to restaurants around the world, reducing kitchen waste and improving sustainability.

Europa Press/Portaltic

La Jornada Newspaper, Friday, July 11, 2025, p. 6

Madrid. Elon Musk and the executives at xAI launched Grok 4, the new version of the American firm's language model, which has been presented as the world's smartest AI , capable of surpassing the doctoral level.

The tycoon unveiled his flagship artificial intelligence model this Thursday, along with a new subscription plan that reaches $300 a month (about 5,600 pesos), offering his most advanced version, the Grok 4 Heavy.

In the presentation, Musk claimed that Grok 4 is the smartest AI in the world, smarter than almost all graduate students in every discipline, and he specified that it even surpasses the PhD level in every subject, without exception . However, Musk clarified that Grok 4 is not yet capable of inventing new technologies or making breakthroughs by discovering theories in the field of physics.

But this is just a matter of time, I think I could discover new technologies as soon as after this year, and I would be surprised if I didn't do it next year , he said.

xAI launched two models: Grok 4 and Grok 4 Heavy. The latter is a multi-agent version of the company that offers greater performance, as it uses several agents to work on a solution simultaneously. It's also capable of comparing their work like a study group to find the best solution.