Is AI Creative? Can AI Be an Artist? W/ Mario Klingemann, Inventor of “Botto”
AI creativity and artistry through Mario's AI system Botto that creates NFT art.
Guest
Mario Klingemann
Artist and creative technologist
Mario Klingemann is an artist and creative technologist exploring machine learning, generative systems, and creativity. He created Botto, an AI-assisted art system whose community helps select works for release. His work has appeared at institutions including The Met and the British Library.
Watch on YouTube ▶About this conversation
By now you've heard the question, "Can AI create art?"
Mario Klingemann had a more provocative question: "Can an AI machine be an artist?"
So Mario set out to do just that. He created an ingenious AI-powered system called "Botto," which is creating art as we speak. Each week, a group of humans votes on the best stuff, and then the winners are sold as NFTs. Sometimes these are listed at Christie's.
Mario's work is FASCINATING. And he's been working with art and machine learning for over 15 years; his work has appeared in places like The Met, the MoMa, and the British Library.
In this episode we cover what draws him to AI (3:30); the creation of Botto (8:00); whether AI can truly be creative (25:00); his advice for traditional artists looking to break into AI (32:00); and his predictions for the future of Botto and AI art (38:00).
Fun episode!
Mario's Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Klingemann
Mario's personal site and gallery:
https://quasimondo.com
Botto.com:
https://www.botto.com
My interview with Mario at CoinDesk:
https://www.coindesk.com/consensus-magazine/2023/08/22/meet-botto-the-ai-artist-that-mints-its-own-nfts/