While scientists and artists have experimented with computer-based painting for decades, and industrial robots have been a mainstay for painting cars, the rise of robot-created art has been slow. Early attempts experimented with using the robot as a tool for laying down the human artist's vision.
More recently, however, the robots have been taking over more of the creative process. In April, researchers unveiled the "Next Rembrandt," a painting done in the style of the famous painter that used artificial intelligence to select the subject matter, compose the painting, and execute the actual painting with a specialized printer.