Designer Marchesa and IBM’s Watson AI team up to make the ugliest dress you’ll ever see

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being used everyday to inform pharmaceutical development and technology innovation. In an attempt to push the envelope, designers Marchesa used IBM’s supercomputer Watson to build an AI dress – and boy is it ugly.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming more commonplace every day. IBM’s supercomputer Watson, one of the most powerful cognitive AI supercomputers in the world, helps innovators explore new scientific realms by pushing the boundaries of the human imagination. In an effort to see if such a process could replace the everyday artist, IBM collaborated with designers from Marchesa to create a one-of-a-kind gown for the annual 2016 Met Gala.

The Met Gala is an annual fundraiser held by New York’s famous Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. The Costume Institute is sort of like going through your great grandmother’s closet. The exhibit has more than 35,000 ‘costumes’ (or historical outfits and accessories) on display that tell a story of how people dressed from the 15th century to today.

The Costume Institute announced its Spring 2016 collection would focus on the impact of technology on fashion. I would argue there isn’t one, but nonetheless in good spirits, the Met Gala has a Manus x Machina theme to explore the influence the recent surge in technological advancements had on fashion. And while no one attended the gala with smartphones glued to their cummerbunds (what a drag! Where is the imagination people?), Marchesa’s dress was the next best thing.

The AI dress, as it’s been dubbed, was created from the ‘mind’ of Watson. In the computer’s defense, the purpose of Watson is really to think up the unthinkable, and jar the imagination of an artist, scientist, or maker. And it did just that. The computer proposed the best color scheme, materials, and technology (LED lights) to be used for the dress, and Marchesa designers acted upon those judgments to do something that has never been done before – develop a dress technology built.

The dress featured hundreds of LED lights, which changed color based on input from social media. Socialite and former model Lisa Maria Falcone wore the dress (a brave move on her part), and will forever be remembered for the tackiest gown at the gala.

While the concept of outsourcing creative genius to supercomputers has driven the debates against AI for decades, the development of the cognitive dress proves the nightmare shall not come to pass. While celebrities like Kanye West and Grimes handpicked the most hideous outfits to grace the red carpet during this year’s gala, other celebs like Alicia Vikander stole our hearts with tech-themed (and cute) gowns to be held in our memories furthermore.

If you’re into fashion, check out this year’s red carpet styles. And if you’re a designer, please oh please stop sending people out in public looking like this.

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