Let’s Talk About …Robots?

Yes, Robots.

“But this is an art blog! Robots can’t be artistic! Can a robot paint a beautiful picture reminiscent of the Mona Lisa? Can a robot compose original symphonies as emotional as Beethoven’s?”

… Can you?

“…”

Yes I absolutely paraphrased that dialog from the 2004 movie I, Robot.

But my point today isn’t to point out hypocrisy, my point is to say this:

Yes, robots CAN do those things!

Check out this Youtube video (it’s a little long, but seriously it is quite daunting):

Holy freaking cow, robots are taking over the world… and it’s our fault!!! Did you see how that guy compared us to horses and then showed us how a robot can compose an original score?

Now some people might look at this and go, “Shoot that’s really cool, with robots I don’t need to talk to mean baristas (or baristos) when I’m getting my coffee.” Whereas I’m on the other side saying, “Man, I hope that doesn’t happen, Jerry from that independent shop makes a mean special latte.”

Now sure they can write symphonies and draw pictures and make coffee, but presently I don’t see computer programs ever possessing the abilities to write a good, emotional, descriptive and original novel. I just don’t think a robot can create the algorithms and patterns necessary to write a sellable book (insert Twilight joke here).

I don’t know, what do you guys think? Do you think that the aspiring novelists/musicians/artists of the world will be replaced by robots? Can a computer really be the next John Lennon or Rembrandt or Hemingway?

-T