Google AI experiment Autodraw turns doodles into art

As you draw, the algorithm guesses what the shape might be and transforms your doodle

Google’s latest AI experiment Autodraw will transform even the lousiest doodle into a work of art.

As you draw, the algorithm begins to guess at what the shape might be; two lopsided circles joined by a line are transformed into a neatly composed bicycle, pair of spectacles or a drum kit.

However, while this web app uses machine learning, the drawings are not actually generated by the algorithm. Instead, these images have already been drawn by artists collaborating with Google and the AI compares your doodle to the database of pictures in real time.

Autodraw sounds like a novelty but the utility lies in the ability to create a drawing quickly from your web browser, phone or tablet, add text and colour, and download for use elsewhere.