Ai-Da, the AI humanoid robot artist, unveiled a portrait of King Charles III titled *Algorithm King* at the UK Mission in Geneva during the UN's 2025 'AI for Good Summit'. The robot, created by Oxford gallerist Aidan Meller, previously painted the late Queen Elizabeth II and set a record in November 2024 when her work *A.I. God. Portrait of Alan Turing* sold for over £1 million at Sotheby's New York.
The humanoid robot Ai-Da, one of the most advanced in the world, unveiled a new oil painting titled "Algorithm King" at the United Nations' AI for Good summit in Geneva. The portrait depicts King Charles III and was created using artificial intelligence algorithms. Late last year, Ai-Da made history when its portrait of Alan Turing became the first artwork by a humanoid robot sold at auction, fetching over $1 million. The robot, created in 2019 by a team led by Aidan Meller with specialists from the universities of Oxford and Birmingham, is designed to resemble a human woman with interchangeable robotic arms.
Rising tariffs, geopolitical instability, and extreme weather events are driving art collectors to move valuable items into secure, tax-friendly freeports, particularly in Switzerland. Experts Alexandre Ducamp of Natural le Coultre and Fritz Dietl of Delaware Freeport report a significant increase in clients over the past three years, citing the war in Ukraine, multiple ongoing conflicts, and President Trump's April 2025 'Liberation Day' tariffs as key factors. Collectors are using freeports in Geneva, Zurich, Basel, and Chiasso, as well as foreign trade zones in Delaware, to delay or avoid import duties on items like design furniture, antiques, and Chinese-origin artworks, with some purchases being cancelled due to new tariffs.
Art Works in Richmond, Virginia, is presenting six new exhibits from May through June 2026, featuring artists Heidi Peelen, Geneva Dinh, Anna Demovidova, RVA Clay Founding Members, and Meagan Samuel. Highlights include the May All Media Show, a juried exhibition of regional artists, and a collaborative Bridge Project with Richmond Public Schools, the Children’s Museum of Richmond, and Richard Harding. The venue also offers over 80 working artist studios, free admission, and free parking, with exhibits running through various dates in June and July.
ALIPH, the Geneva-based cultural heritage protection agency, has announced over $16 million in its latest funding round, with support directed to Syria, Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, and a new focus on climate change impacts on heritage, primarily in Africa. Nearly a third of the funding ($5 million) goes to Syria, where the newly appointed Director General of Antiquities and Museums, Dr. Anas Haj Zeidan, aims to restore sites damaged during the war under former president Bashar al-Assad. ALIPH executive director Valéry Freland reported extensive damage from 14 years of war, the 2023 earthquake, and economic crises, but noted strong local determination to rehabilitate heritage, including Palmyra. The agency also committed $9 million to address climate threats, supporting 28 projects—22 in Africa—focused on earthen architecture, sacred forests, and local knowledge preservation.