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A robot devised by a Portuguese artist that creates its own paintings went on display Wednesday in Lisbon before it becomes part of the permanent collection of New York's American Museum of Natural History next month.
The completely autonomous robot, dubbed RAP-Robotic Action Painter, uses an artificial intelligence algorithm to paint and determines when the work is done with the aid of a pattern recognition system.
It then signs the right bottom corner of its painting with its distinctive signature.
"Obviously when we say a robot creates works of art we are questioning the concept of art, which up until now was something created exclusively by humans," artist Leonel Moura, 58, told reporters.
The robot, as well as several works which it has created, will remain on view in the entrance of the Lisbon headquarters of Portuguese state bank Caixa Geral de Depositos until Friday.
It will be on display from October 10 at the American Museum of Natural History, one of New York's top cultural icons which is visited by millions of people from around the world every year.
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AFP 271907 GMT 09 06
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