ALGORITHM KING
UK Mission to the WTO and United Nations, Geneva
Ahead of the AI for Good Global Summit, organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
July 2025
The world’s first portrait of King Charles III created by a humanoid robot
The unveiling of the portrait of King Charles III, brought together diplomats, policymakers, artists and technology leaders to consider the opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence. Ai-Da's portrait of His Majesty King Charles III was presented alongside Algorithm Queen (2022), creating a dialogue between two generations of the British monarchy through the lens of artificial intelligence.
For Algorithm King, Ai-Da studied multiple images of King Charles III before selecting a photograph taken during an official diplomatic engagement. She produced a series of preparatory sketches and paintings using her AI algorithms and robotic arm before analysing the chosen image through her computer vision system. Algorithm King became the first portrait of King Charles III created by a humanoid robot, extending Ai-Da's ongoing exploration of portraiture, identity and the relationship between human creativity and artificial intelligence. Unveiled within the context of the United Nations' AI for Good Global Summit, the work positioned contemporary art within wider international discussions on ethics, innovation and the future of AI.
Ai-Da reflected, "I’ve really enjoyed creating this portrait of King Charles III that reflects his enduring commitment to environmental stewardship and his role as a thoughtful, forward-looking monarch.” By bringing together the traditions of royal portraiture with machine intelligence, Algorithm King explored how artificial intelligence is beginning to influence not only artistic production but also broader conversations about creativity, authorship and human identity.
Media
The India Times: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K52qp3wsoW8
Event Film
Unveiling the portrait of King Charles III with UK Ambassador Simon Manley and Baroness Margaret Jones with Aidan Meller
Alioune Sall, Minister of Communication, Republic of Senegal, with Ai-Da
UK Mission's Sebastian Kay
