Welcome to the machine: an AI bot is making Banksy-inspired art

The AI software was trained using a bank of hundreds of images of street art, some of which were probably Banksy's works, and was launched in September 2020. Photo: AFP

Has the machine surpassed its master? While prices for Banksy originals climb ever higher, a new AI has been programmed to create artworks that resemble those by the famous British street artist himself.

So much so that some art collectors are already snapping up the GANksy creations. While the works leave no doubt as to the identity of the artist they take inspiration from, the creator of the software, Matt Round, refrains from explicitly mentioning Banksy's name, to avoid any legal complications.