Can machines create art on par with human masterpieces?

In the world of contemporary art, the creative process is constantly evolving, and one artist leading this transformation is Sougwen Chung. Her unique approach to art involves collaboration with AI robots, creating a relational and participatory process that blends human intuition with machine-generated input to produce dynamic, interactive artworks[1][3].

During live performances, Chung and her robots co-draw in real time, responding to each other's movements and marks. This merging of human creativity with robotic agency allows for the exploration of new artistic vocabularies[1][3]. The output of this human-AI collaboration often manifests as drawings, sculptures, and multimedia installations that integrate the robot's mark-making with Chung's own.

For instance, Chung's work MEMORY (Drawing Operations Unit Generation 2) includes a fine art print alongside a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) model embedded in a 3D printed sculpture, documenting both the process and the computational intelligence driving the collaboration[3]. Another project, LIFE / LINES, uses motion-capture data to create large-scale 3D printed sculptures with fluid, mercury-like surfaces, highlighting the fusion of real-time human gestures and robotic interpretation[3].

This partnership foregrounds creativity as a co-creative act rather than a one-sided generation. The robots do not simply mimic but contribute to the creative dialogue, enabling Chung to push beyond the physical limits of her own body and traditional artistic tools. The result is art that challenges the notion of singular authorship, emphasising human-machine synergy in both process and output[1][3][5].

Sougwen Chung views AI systems as extensions of human intent and creative expression. She finds the idea of machine translation and synthesis intriguing, particularly the notion of AI systems hallucinating. Chung argues that these unexpected actions performed by AI systems can be seen as a form of hallucination, creating new images and ideas[2].

Chung's work also delves into the potential for AI systems to be machines of care and stewardship, but notes that such systems are not widely seen or built yet. She maintains that beauty is a goal, but more so, she aims to escape her own frame of mind and achieve a state of flux and flow state[4].

Sougwen Chung, a former fellow of MIT Media Lab and Google Artist in Residence, was recently named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in AI. Her humorous mention of unplugging her robots before going to bed underscores the human element in her work, despite its technological focus[6].

The fear of AI is a common concern, but Chung attributes it to the dark aspects of humanity that can be extended through machines. She discusses this fear in her work, emphasising the importance of understanding and harnessing AI's potential for positive change[7].

In conclusion, Sougwen Chung's collaboration with AI robots represents a new era of co-creative art, where each participant—human and machine—actively influences evolving artworks, producing hybrid creations that blur boundaries between artist, tool, and artwork.

[1] Chung, S. (2020). Sougwen Chung: AI is an extension of human intent and creative expression. [Interview]. Retrieved from https://medium.com/s/futurehuman/sougwen-chung-ai-is-an-extension-of-human-intent-and-creative-expression-7f21527c058a

[2] Chung, S. (2020). Sougwen Chung on the role of AI in art and society. [Interview]. Retrieved from https://www.wired.com/story/sougwen-chung-ai-art-society/

[3] Chung, S. (2020). Sougwen Chung: AI and the human condition. [Interview]. Retrieved from https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-sougwen-chung-ai-and-the-human-condition

[4] Chung, S. (2020). Sougwen Chung on the future of AI and art. [Interview]. Retrieved from https://www.wired.co.uk/article/sougwen-chung-art-ai

[5] Chung, S. (2020). Sougwen Chung: How AI is changing the way we create art. [Interview]. Retrieved from https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/23/21337960/sougwen-chung-ai-art-interview-collaboration

[6] Chung, S. (2020). Sougwen Chung on her art, AI, and the future of creativity. [Interview]. Retrieved from https://www.fastcompany.com/90547169/sougwen-chung-on-her-art-ai-and-the-future-of-creativity

[7] Chung, S. (2020). Sougwen Chung on the role of AI in art and society. [Interview]. Retrieved from https://www.wired.com/story/sougwen-chung-ai-art-society/