Have you heard of the AI bot Craiyon? The artificial intelligence project has skyrocketed in popularity, sketching more than 50,000 images per day. We joined in on the fun and asked the bot to draw five of Madison’s most iconic landmarks — here’s how it did.
Note: This application shares nine versions of each photo, so we selected our favorite for each example.
Camp Randall
Our grade: A-
Craiyon’s detail work leaves something to be desired, but the sea of red makes us feel like we’re right there, cheering on the Badgers. Is that new interim head coach Jim Leonhard on the 50 yard line?
Overture Center for the Arts
Our grade: B
If you’ve ever been inside of Overture Hall, you can attest to the scale and magnitude of the theater — which Craiyon captured quite well. Maybe the AI added a few extra mezzanines + box sections, but we’re flattered it thinks so highly of our Center for the Arts.
Madison skyline
Our grade: C+
While the realism of this rendering isn’t perfect — unless someone moved the Capitol closer to the water without telling us — Craiyon clearly understands a few basics of Madison: ample green space, lakeside views, and our beloved Capitol.
Madison Beltline
Our grade: C
Much like our experience driving on this freeway, the AI generated image is also a bit convoluted + dizzying. Jokes aside, the AI did an average job depicting one of the 608’s most traveled highways. Did you hear the new flex lanes have reduced travel times by 30%?
Robert M. Lamp House
Our grade: D
Credit where credit is due, Craiyon is very in tune with Frank Lloyd Wright’s design language + architectural style. This, however, looks much more like the Charles L. & Dorothy Manson House or the Affleck House than the prompt.
