Look: These stunning images were created by humans and artificial intelligence

Imagine doodling something on a screen and have artificial intelligence (AI) turn it into something amazing. Or watching an artwork responding to the piano being played. These are some of the innovative technologies on display at the Dubai Assembly for Generative AI.

Artists and technologists have come together to display groundbreaking pieces of artwork, and trailblazing technologies to demonstrate how humans and generative AI might interact in the future.

At the display ‘The Artist Within’, visitors had the opportunity to turn their doodles and drawings into spectacular pieces of artwork. “I am surprised by this,” said visitor Lin. “I am not a great artist. All I drew was a house and a tree and then picked a theme. My simple drawing was transformed into a work of art. It was amazing to watch.”

However, Lin also added that while she enjoyed the process, it made her concerned about the future of designers. “It does make me wonder whether designers might find themselves out of work,” she said. “I guess they will learn to work with AI and flourish rather than let their craft die out without it. It is clear that AI is here to stay. So, it is important we learn to use it to the best of our advantage.”

Music and Art

The Human x AI Music show married music, AI and art in one single display. The installation had a piano that is linked to screens behind it. The artwork promises “a symphony of the future, where musician and machine come together in a harmonious duet”.

Every hour, a pianist plays a piece and the AI on the screen behind transforms into a piece of art that responds to the beat of the music. For Cuban musician Jose Ramon Nunez, it was a unique experience. “I could have never imagined something like this,” he said. “Every time I play, the AI responds with its own set of imagery. It is a very different perspective on how humans and machines interact.”

However, Jose said that the machine had its limitations. “If I play too fast, the machine is not able to keep up with it,” he said. “So, the music has to be slow and sort of like ambiance music. But it is really a one of its kind experiences.”

As Jose played on, several people stopped to watch the machine responding and to take videos of the unique display.

Portraits and more

No exhibition is complete without a portrait artist drawing live sketches. At the assembly, it was an AI machine. Kazakh artist Kabalin Ivan was by the machine that drew everyone’s portrait the way AI had re-imagined it. When KT visited the display, he had a warning “You will have to wait three hours for your portrait,” he said. “There is a long queue ahead of you.” Since Wednesday, over 150 people had stopped by his stand to get their portraits drawn by the machine.

He said that although he usually dabbled with light art, this was a very enjoyable experience for him. “Every time a portrait is made, and I hand it over to the visitor, there is a big smile on their face,” he said. “What more could I ask as an artist?”

In addition to these displays, there was an array of paintings at the event. Organized by Tashkeel studios, the exhibition included paintings by people using AI. The Golden Flight by artist Jyo John showed an aerial view of a futuristic Emirates aircraft.

Another one by Javad bin Kutub showed a 3-d rendering of a desert resort with a large tent. Prepared with a sketch, render and text prompt given to AI, it shows a truly remarkable structure

Over two days, the assembly hosted over 1,800 officials, experts, and decision-makers, including more than 70 speakers participating in around 45 sessions and 12 exhibitions.

• UAE