Latest news with #AlanTuring
Spectator
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Spectator
The wit and beauty of bank notes
William Shakespeare was the first to feature, in 1970. Alan Turing was most recent, in 2021. But the Bank of England is now asking whether anyone else should appear, ever. The Bank's redesigning our bank notes and wants the public's thoughts on replacing the famous people who currently grace them with buildings, animals, films, historical events or even food. However the redesign ends up, let's hope the notes continue to display the wit and beauty they've traditionally had. The Churchill fiver, for instance. Look closely and you'll see that Big Ben stands at 3 p.m., the hour that Winston made his first speech to the Commons as Prime Minister. One of the security measures on Jane Austen's tenner (she's the latest person to replace Shakespeare on that note) is a quill that changes from purple to orange as you tilt it. The clear window on J.M.W. Turner's £20 is the shape of the fountains in Trafalgar Square, referencing 'The Fighting Temeraire'. And Alan Turing's birthday on the £50 is shown in binary, that being the way that his (indeed all) computers count. As it happens, every member of the quartet either died at 41 (Austen, Turing) or has been played on screen by Timothy Spall (Churchill, Turner). The same wit is shown by the public who use the notes. The £10 note is sometimes known as an Ayrton (Senna), while the smallest denomination's nickname of Lady Godiva led to City boys calling £15 a Commodore, as it was three times a lady. The Rainbow vegetarian café in Cambridge was less amused, however, when the plastic fiver was introduced in 2016. They refused to take it, as it contains traces of tallow. Blind people tell which note they're holding by raised dots in the top left corner (the fiver has none, the £10 two, the £20 three and the £50 four). Another clue is that the notes get bigger as you go through the values, unlike in the US where they're all the same size. The young Ray Charles insisted on being paid entirely in single dollar bills, to prevent cheating. Eric Clapton used to snort his drugs through rolled-up £20 notes, which he would then throw away. His gardener Arthur Eggby would retrieve them, dust them off and spend them on his holidays on the Isle of Wight. Meanwhile when Elton John played in the Soviet Union in 1979, he was paid £4,000 in notes so old that they had to be taken to the Bank of England to be changed for new ones. This is a service the Bank provides for anyone, and there's no time limit. Old notes used to be burned at the Essex factory that prints new ones, supplementing the site's heating. Until 1853 each note was personally signed by one of the Bank's cashiers. The monarch, who you might have thought had always been on them, has only appeared since 1960, meaning Elizabeth II was the first to see her own likeness. As if to celebrate the fact, she always carried a fiver (very occasionally a tenner) in her handbag, ready for next week's church collection. The note was ironed by a butler into a little square, folded so that you could only see the Queen's face.
Khaleej Times
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Humanoid robot says not aiming to 'replace human artists'
When successful artist Ai-Da unveiled a new portrait of King Charles this week, the humanoid robot described what inspired the layered and complex piece, and insisted it had no plans to "replace" humans. The ultra-realistic robot, one of the most advanced in the world, is designed to resemble a human woman with an expressive, life-like face, large hazel eyes and brown hair cut in a bob. The arms though are unmistakably robotic, with exposed metal, and can be swapped out depending on the art form it is practicing. Late last year, Ai-Da's portrait of English mathematician Alan Turing became the first artwork by a humanoid robot to be sold at auction, fetching over $1 million. But as Ai-Da unveiled its latest creation -- an oil painting entitled "Algorithm King", conceived using artificial intelligence -- the humanoid insisted the work's importance could not be measured in money. "The value of my artwork is to serve as a catalyst for discussions that explore ethical dimensions to new technologies," the robot told AFP at Britain's diplomatic mission in Geneva, where the new portrait of King Charles will be housed. The idea, Ai-Da insisted in a slow, deliberate cadence, was to "foster critical thinking and encourage responsible innovation for more equitable and sustainable futures". 'Unique and creative' Speaking on the sidelines of the United Nations' AI for Good summit, Ai-Da, who has done sketches, paintings and sculptures, detailed the methods and inspiration behind the work. "When creating my art, I use a variety of AI algorithms," the robot said. "I start with a basic idea or concept that I want to explore, and I think about the purpose of the art. What will it say?" The humanoid pointed out that "King Charles has used his platform to raise awareness on environmental conservation and interfaith dialog. I have aimed this portrait to celebrate" that, it said, adding that "I hope King Charles will be appreciative of my efforts". Aidan Meller, a specialist in modern and contemporary art, led the team that created Ai-Da in 2019 with artificial intelligence specialists at the universities of Oxford and Birmingham. He told AFP that he had conceived the humanoid robot -- named after the world's first computer programmer Ada Lovelace -- as an ethical arts project, and not "to replace the painters". Ai-Da agreed. There is "no doubt that AI is changing our world, (including) the art world and forms of human creative expression", the robot acknowledged. But "I do not believe AI or my artwork will replace human artists". Instead, Ai-Da said, the aim was "to inspire viewers to think about how we use AI positively, while remaining conscious of its risks and limitations". Asked if a painting made by a machine could really be considered art, the robot insisted that "my artwork is unique and creative". "Whether humans decide it is art is an important and interesting point of conversation."
France 24
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- France 24
Humanoid robot says not aiming to 'replace human artists'
The ultra-realistic robot, one of the most advanced in the world, is designed to resemble a human woman with an expressive, life-like face, large hazel eyes and brown hair cut in a bob. The arms though are unmistakably robotic, with exposed metal, and can be swapped out depending on the art form it is practicing. Late last year, Ai-Da's portrait of English mathematician Alan Turing became the first artwork by a humanoid robot to be sold at auction, fetching over $1 million. But as Ai-Da unveiled its latest creation -- an oil painting entitled "Algorithm King", conceived using artificial intelligence -- the humanoid insisted the work's importance could not be measured in money. "The value of my artwork is to serve as a catalyst for discussions that explore ethical dimensions to new technologies," the robot told AFP at Britain's diplomatic mission in Geneva, where the new portrait of King Charles will be housed. The idea, Ai-Da insisted in a slow, deliberate cadence, was to "foster critical thinking and encourage responsible innovation for more equitable and sustainable futures". 'Unique and creative' Speaking on the sidelines of the United Nations' AI for Good summit, Ai-Da, who has done sketches, paintings and sculptures, detailed the methods and inspiration behind the work. "When creating my art, I use a variety of AI algorithms," the robot said. "I start with a basic idea or concept that I want to explore, and I think about the purpose of the art. What will it say?" The humanoid pointed out that "King Charles has used his platform to raise awareness on environmental conservation and interfaith dialog. I have aimed this portrait to celebrate" that, it said, adding that "I hope King Charles will be appreciative of my efforts". Aidan Meller, a specialist in modern and contemporary art, led the team that created Ai-Da in 2019 with artificial intelligence specialists at the universities of Oxford and Birmingham. He told AFP that he had conceived the humanoid robot -- named after the world's first computer programmer Ada Lovelace -- as an ethical arts project, and not "to replace the painters". Ai-Da agreed. There is "no doubt that AI is changing our world, (including) the art world and forms of human creative expression", the robot acknowledged. But "I do not believe AI or my artwork will replace human artists". Instead, Ai-Da said, the aim was "to inspire viewers to think about how we use AI positively, while remaining conscious of its risks and limitations". Asked if a painting made by a machine could really be considered art, the robot insisted that "my artwork is unique and creative". © 2025 AFP
News.com.au
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Humanoid robot says not aiming to 'replace human artists'
When successful artist Ai-Da unveiled a new portrait of King Charles this week, the humanoid robot described what inspired the layered and complex piece, and insisted it had no plans to "replace" humans. The ultra-realistic robot, one of the most advanced in the world, is designed to resemble a human woman with an expressive, life-like face, large hazel eyes and brown hair cut in a bob. The arms though are unmistakably robotic, with exposed metal, and can be swapped out depending on the art form it is practicing. Late last year, Ai-Da's portrait of English mathematician Alan Turing became the first artwork by a humanoid robot to be sold at auction, fetching over $1 million. But as Ai-Da unveiled its latest creation -- an oil painting entitled "Algorithm King", conceived using artificial intelligence -- the humanoid insisted the work's importance could not be measured in money. "The value of my artwork is to serve as a catalyst for discussions that explore ethical dimensions to new technologies," the robot told AFP at Britain's diplomatic mission in Geneva, where the new portrait of King Charles will be housed. The idea, Ai-Da insisted in a slow, deliberate cadence, was to "foster critical thinking and encourage responsible innovation for more equitable and sustainable futures". - 'Unique and creative' - Speaking on the sidelines of the United Nations' AI for Good summit, Ai-Da, who has done sketches, paintings and sculptures, detailed the methods and inspiration behind the work. "When creating my art, I use a variety of AI algorithms," the robot said. "I start with a basic idea or concept that I want to explore, and I think about the purpose of the art. What will it say?" The humanoid pointed out that "King Charles has used his platform to raise awareness on environmental conservation and interfaith dialog. I have aimed this portrait to celebrate" that, it said, adding that "I hope King Charles will be appreciative of my efforts". Aidan Meller, a specialist in modern and contemporary art, led the team that created Ai-Da in 2019 with artificial intelligence specialists at the universities of Oxford and Birmingham. He told AFP that he had conceived the humanoid robot -- named after the world's first computer programmer Ada Lovelace -- as an ethical arts project, and not "to replace the painters". Ai-Da agreed. There is "no doubt that AI is changing our world, (including) the art world and forms of human creative expression", the robot acknowledged. But "I do not believe AI or my artwork will replace human artists". Instead, Ai-Da said, the aim was "to inspire viewers to think about how we use AI positively, while remaining conscious of its risks and limitations". Asked if a painting made by a machine could really be considered art, the robot insisted that "my artwork is unique and creative".
BBC News
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
MK Dons honour Bletchley Park codebreakers on new away kit
The new MK Dons away kit includes a tribute to World War Two Park collaborated with the EFL League Two team on the design, which referenced the circular keys on the Enigma machine - a typewriter-like device used by Germany to encode military a museum, Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire, was once a secret site which housed codebreakers, including Alan Turing, who cracked codes and helped shorten the football club told the BBC: "Bletchley Park were brilliant, really helpful in designing the kit alongside us and ensuring everything was accurate." MK Dons teamed up with Reebok for the kit, their second collaboration with the sportswear giant for the 25/26 season.A new crest for the club was announced last week and includes a nod to the city's "iconic roundabouts".According to a club spokesperson, the new owners, a Kuwait-based consortium, had been keen to embrace the history of the area "and establish those links". Iain Standen, Bletchley Park CEO said: "This collaboration between MK Dons, Reebok, and Bletchley Park is more than a kit—it's a tribute to the ingenuity of the Bletchley Park wartime Codebreakers and a celebration of our local heritage."By blending sport, design, and history, we're inviting new audiences to step into the story of Bletchley Park and experience firsthand the legacy that continues to inspire innovation today. "The new away kit pays tribute to our historic site, with Enigma machine keys subtly imprinted into the fabric, honouring Bletchley Park's cipher-breaking achievements and the pioneering individuals behind them. "This partnership offers a unique opportunity for both fans and visitors to connect with the remarkable stories that shaped our world, stories that can be discovered here at Bletchley Park."Visitors to Bletchley Park can see the Bombe, an early computer that helped crack the German story was featured in the 2014 film The Imitation Game, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
