Ai Da

Completed in 2019, Ai-Da quickly garnered international attention as the world’s first ultra-realistic robot artist, capable of drawing, painting, and performing. Conceived by gallerist Aidan Meller, her advanced humanoid form and AI capabilities were developed collaboratively by Engineered Arts for hardware and University of Oxford researchers for graphic algorithms. She made her public debut in May 2019 with a live performance at St Hugh’s College, Oxford, and was featured in exhibitions at St John’s College, Oxford, and at WIRED Pulse: AI that same year. By October 2019, she co-hosted workshops at Tate Exchange, Tate Modern, with artist Sadie Clayton, and exhibited at Abu Dhabi Art.

Ai-Da’s impact on societal discussions around technology and creativity reached new heights in late 2022. In a landmark moment in October 2022, she became the first humanoid robot to give evidence at The House of Lords as part of an inquiry into the future of creative industries. This was followed by another pioneering achievement in November 2022, when she became the first robot to speak at the prestigious Oxford Union debating society. Later that month, she was a guest of honour speaker at the Wadi Ashar Dialogue in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, underscoring her unique position as an artistic entity and a catalyst for vital conversations concerning artificial intelligence’s integration into human endeavors.