Can AI make cats happy?

AI is everywhere but is hard to grasp. How does AI work and what does it look like?

Cat Royale is a new artwork by Blast Theory that shows machine learning in action and prompts audiences to reflect on the benefits, and possible costs, of our growing dependence on this technology. It explores society’s ambivalence about living with Artificial Intelligence and autonomous systems.

Cat Royale launches at the World Science Festival in Brisbane in March 2023 and will be presented at venues in the UK and Europe later this year, including Science Gallery London and Wales Millennium Centre.

Cat Royale is available as a single screen gallery installation or as a live work.

About Cat Royale

For Cat Royale, three cats – Ghostbuster, Pumpkin and Clover – will live inside a utopia created by the artists.

The cats’ every need will be catered for, with spaces for playing and socialising, and spaces that are relaxing and private. They will have walkways, cubbyholes and raised viewing platforms. They can lounge on cushions or play together. The light, the temperature, their food and water are all set to their precise needs. At the centre of the space is a robot arm, controlled by an autonomous system. Using computer vision, the system observes the cats and aims to maximise their happiness. It learns from their level of activity and their body language whether they prefer to play with a ball, to chase a feather or just use a simple scratch post.

To ensure the comfort and safety of the cats, experts in animal welfare have been involved in the design of the project from the start, guiding us at each stage. During filming, the cats’ owner is present at all times and the cats spend time outside the environment each day.

Cat Royale launches as a delayed livestream to audiences at the World Science Festival in Brisbane, 22nd March – 2nd April 2023.

Cat Royale gallery installation

Cat Royale is available as a single-screen video work.

Gallery visitors can relax and watch the cats in their visually stunning utopian environment as they play: Clover lounges on a velvet pillow under a soft light. Above, her brother Pumpkin strolls along a raised walkway and bats lazily at a feather dangled by a robot arm.

Onscreen graphics will show upcoming events that the system has planned and show the current happiness level of each cat. Over time, visitors will see the system learn and adapt. For example, human-like activities (such as dangling a feather) may be less interesting to the cats than robot-like activities (such as moving the feather extremely slowly for long periods).

The conversation around the project will be enabled by the hashtag #catroyale. Visitors will be able to comment, ask questions and chat with others about the work.

Blast Theory can offer part or all of the custom-built utopian environment as a visually stunning installation to enhance the video work, with specifications and costs available on request.

Cat Royale will be presented at Science Gallery London, Wales Millennium Centre and other UK and international venues from autumn 2023.

Cat Royale live

The custom-designed Cat Royale utopia can be installed in full as a unique and thought-provoking live gallery experience.

Specially designed, discreet viewing windows will allow gallery visitors to watch live as the cats interact with the robot arm and computer vision, and the system learns and adapts over time.

We can provide a bespoke proposal for your venue on request.

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About Blast Theory

Blast Theory make interactive art to explore social and political questions. The group’s work places the public at the centre of unusual and sometimes unsettling experiences, to create new perspectives and open up the possibility of change.

Led by Matt Adams, Ju Row Farr and Nick Tandavanitj, the group draw on popular culture and new technologies to make performances, games, films, apps and installations.

Blast Theory have shown work at the Venice Biennale, Tribeca Film Festival, ICC in Tokyo, Hebbel am Ufer in Berlin, the Barbican and Tate Britain. Commissioners include Channel 4, Sundance Film Festival and the Royal Opera House.

The artists work closely with researchers and scientists and have collaborated with the Mixed Reality Lab at the University of Nottingham since 1997, co-authoring over 45 research papers. The artists teach and lecture internationally including at the Sorbonne, Stanford University and the Royal College of Art. They curated the Screen series for Live Culture at Tate Modern.

Blast Theory have been nominated for four BAFTAs and won the Golden Nica at Prix Ars Electronica and the Nam June Paik Art Center Award.

Founded in 1991, Blast Theory are based in Brighton in the UK.

Since the mid 1990s, the group followed the trajectory of the development of the media, with their acute and in-depth psychological analyses. I would call them the most contemporary media-poet of this age.

Soh Yeong Roh, head of the Selection Committee for the 2016 Nam June Paik Art Center Award

Cat Royale is developed in collaboration with the Mixed Reality Lab at the University of Nottingham and funded by UKRI via the Trustworthy Autonomous Systems Hub.

Co-commissioned by Queensland Museum for World Science Festival Brisbane 2023, and Science Gallery London.

Cat environment by We Make Stuff Happen.

Blast Theory is supported using public funding from Arts Council England.

Installation photos by RULER