Beeple’s Newest Creation: Robot Dogs with High-Tech Heads

Hold onto your hats and your wallets, folks! Digital maestro Mike Winkelmann, better known as Beeple, is back and he’s shaking things up at Art Basel! Enter a whole pack of robotic dogs that not only capture your favorite moments at the fair but also… wait for it… poop out NFTs! Yep, you heard that right. These adorable tech wonders are here to make art even weirder—and we love it!

Meet the ‘Regular Animals’ Installation

The interactive installation, whimsically dubbed “Regular Animals,” is strutting its stuff at the Miami Beach Convention Center through December 7. These four-legged pals sport stylin’ silicone heads resembling famous figures from both the art and tech worlds—think Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and the legendary Andy Warhol, just to name a few. Trust us, if you see one of these goofy robo-pups coming your way, you’re in for a treat!

Robotic Photo Snapshots with a Twist

As these mechanical marvels roam around, they snap photos of unsuspecting visitors and whip up stylized prints that are kinda like a souvenir but way cooler. And guess what? Some of these prints contain codes that give you a chance to claim NFTs—connecting your physical art prize to precious digital currency on the blockchain. What a time to be alive!

Memories and Algorithms

In a snazzy little video chat with CNN, Beeple spilled the tea about the tech behind the magic. He pointed out that while we might be viewing the world through all sorts of lenses, the real controllers are those clever algorithm overlords! “The robots here don’t just have cute faces; they capture moments and log them onto a blockchain. It’s a brilliant application of technology, if I do say so myself!” he exclaimed.

Robot Dogs for Sale… Kinda

So how much does it cost to get your own robo-pooch? Each one is listed at a staggering $100,000. Except for the one styled after Jeff Bezos, which wasn’t even up for grabs—talk about a missed opportunity for dog lovers with deep pockets!

The Art of Poop!

In a twist that only Beeple could pull off, the prints produced by these robot canines come with a cheeky disclaimer: they’ve been “tested and verified as 100% pure GMO-free, organic dogshit originating from a medium adult dog anus.” Art was never this funny!

From Record-Breaking Sales to Robot Puppers

Let’s not forget that this is the same artist who made headlines back in 2021 when his digital collage, “Everydays: The First 5000 Days,” sold for a jaw-dropping $69.3 million at Christie’s. The NFT boomed from there, and while the hype has fizzled somewhat since then, Beeple remains ever the innovator.

The Wild World of NFTs

Remember when NFTs were the belle of the ball? Well, that spark has cooled a bit, but as of early 2023, there was still a flicker of excitement in the air. A recent report showed that NFT sales have actually surged by a whopping 78% this year, though overall trading volumes have taken a hit. Beeple himself mused about the rollercoaster ride that NFTs have taken us on, noting how they’re often more loved when they’re less hyped.

So there you have it! Beeple is once again turning the art world upside down with his quirky robots. Who knows what he’ll dream up next? We can’t wait to see what else he has in store!