Last week, the world’s leading experts in artificial intelligence converged on the Canadian city of Montreal for one of the biggest gatherings in their field.
On Saturday, the 2018 Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS) hosted a workshop titled "AI for Social Good". The assembled crowd were not treated to the usual conference staples of robot demonstrations or video presentations showcasing new algorithms that promise to revolutionise healthcare systems.
Instead, they were greeted with a solo performance by the superstar cellist Yo-Yo Ma, followed by a session on artificial intelligence, ethics and the arts.
The history of artificial intelligence is littered with algorithms that were supposed to mimic the most complex feats of human creativity, from problem-solving to writing poems, composing music and painting portraits.
In 2007, a new version of Glenn Gould's legendary rendition of the Bach's Goldberg Variations was released by Sony Classical. It was not a remastering from original tapes, though. Instead, a piece of software named Zenph was used to analyse the Canadian musician's 1955 performance, then translate it to an electro-acoustic Yamaha piano.
Almost a decade later, researchers at Sony used an application called Flow Machines to dissect the scores of 13,000 popular tracks and then build new melodies. After selecting the music style of The Beatles, the French composer Benoît Carré arranged and produced a piece of music for which he also wrote the lyrics. Titled “Daddy’s Car”, it has been widely credited as the first ever pop song written by artificial intelligence.
And music is not the only creative field in which AI is being used. Last year, academics at Rutgers University in New York and employees at Facebook AI Research debuted a system named Creative Adversarial Networks, which can generate visual art after studying and “learning” from pre-existing works.
Then, last month, Christies in London became the first auction house to sell an AI-generated painting. Bidding for the work, titled Portrait of Edmond Belamy, reached $432,500 – nearly 45 times its original estimate.
However, these AI-generated artworks are, at best, pale imitations of the real thing. Art resonates with human beings, because it is a vehicle for artists to express their feelings, beliefs or political ideas. Even if algorithms learn to paint exactly like Picasso, it is unlikely that they will ever be able to create anything with the power or historical weight of Guernica, nor will they be able to capture the beauty and pain of Vincent van Gough's best work.
The human brain – specifically our ability to imagine – is at the heart of the creative process. This is precisely what artificial intelligence lacks so far, and exactly what developers and engineers should be reaching for. The aim should not be for technology to generate new paintings, poems, songs and buildings that emulate those already created by human beings. Instead, the power of technology should be harnessed to offer a truly original and personalised artistic experience.
For me, this idea brings to mind the neurological condition of synaesthesia, in which sensory perceptions cross over and people are, for instance, able to smell letters or hear colours. Far from viewing it as a handicap, many with synaesthesia believe it to be a gift that allows them to experience art and the world around them with a vivid intensity that others can only dream of. AI has the potential to make us all able to touch music and smell words.
Personally speaking, I would prefer this new form of art to any computer-generated Yo-Yo Ma soundalike. After all, nothing can beat the real emotions that a performance by a virtuoso musician can evoke – for now, at least.
Professor Olivier Oullier is the president of Emotiv, a neuroscientist and a DJ
The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
The squad traveling to Brazil:
Faisal Al Ketbi, Ibrahim Al Hosani, Khalfan Humaid Balhol, Khalifa Saeed Al Suwaidi, Mubarak Basharhil, Obaid Salem Al Nuaimi, Saeed Juma Al Mazrouei, Saoud Abdulla Al Hammadi, Taleb Al Kirbi, Yahia Mansour Al Hammadi, Zayed Al Kaabi, Zayed Saif Al Mansoori, Saaid Haj Hamdou, Hamad Saeed Al Nuaimi. Coaches Roberto Lima and Alex Paz.
If you go
The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road.
The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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THREE
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Specs%20
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Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
RESULT
Esperance de Tunis 1 Guadalajara 1
(Esperance won 6-5 on penalties)
Esperance: Belaili 38’
Guadalajara: Sandoval 5’
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The biog:
Favourite book: The Leader Who Had No Title by Robin Sharma
Pet Peeve: Racism
Proudest moment: Graduating from Sorbonne
What puts her off: Dishonesty in all its forms
Happiest period in her life: The beginning of her 30s
Favourite movie: "I have two. The Pursuit of Happiness and Homeless to Harvard"
Role model: Everyone. A child can be my role model
Slogan: The queen of peace, love and positive energy
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Suggested picnic spots
Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park
Yas Gateway Park
Delma Park
Al Bateen beach
Saadiyaat beach
The Corniche
Zayed Sports City
Dubai
Kite Beach
Zabeel Park
Al Nahda Pond Park
Mushrif Park
Safa Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Qudrah Lakes
The biog
First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974
Current role: Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding since 2008
Career high: Regularly cited on Forbes list of 100 most powerful Arab Businesswomen
Achievement: Helped establish Al Maskari Medical Centre in 1969 in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region
Future plan: Will now concentrate on her charitable work
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
ALL THE RESULTS
Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmomdov (TJK) bt Rey Nacionales (PHI) by decision.
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) bt Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR) by submission.
Catch 74kg
Omar Hussein (JOR) bt Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) by decision.
Strawweight (Female)
Seo Ye-dam (KOR) bt Weronika Zygmunt (POL) by decision.
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) bt Walid Laidi (ALG) by TKO.
Lightweight
Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW) bt Leandro Martins (BRA) by TKO.
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) bt Sofiane Benchohra (ALG) by TKO.
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR) no contest.
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) bt Glen Ranillo (PHI) by TKO round 1.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) bt Aidan Aguilera (AUS) by TKO round 1.
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) bt Sasha Palatkinov (HKG) by TKO round 1.
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) by KO round 1.
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
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