AI imagines how historical figures such as Napoleon would look if they’d taken smartphone portraits
The Last Supper selfie: AI imagines what historical figures like Jesus, Cleopatra and Napoleon would have looked like if they had taken smartphone portraits
- Duncan Thomsen believes he’s the first person to use AI for this purpose – and said the results are ‘hilarious’
- He uses the Midjourney software, via the Discord application, to take the historical selfies
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A man has used AI to imagine what famous historical figures would like if they had taken smartphone portraits.
Duncan Thomsen, 53, has recreated photos of the Battle of Waterloo, Cleopatra’s court – and the Last Supper.
He also took pictures of Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I and soldiers at Agincourt.
Duncan, a freelance film editor based in Brighton, believes he is the first person to use AI for this purpose – and said the results are “hilarious”.
He said, “AI is advanced technology. I spent a month working out a formula of clues, language and photographic elements to give photos this ‘selfie’ effect.’
He added: ‘The results are hilarious and everyone I’ve shared my work with can’t believe how real the photos really look.
“I’ve done Cleopatra, Queen Elizabeth I, Henry VIII, Jesus and many more.”
Duncan uses Midjourney software, via the Discord application, to create his own photographic historical selfies.
pictured. The Last Supper with Jesus and His Disciples
In addition to Last Supper, Duncan Thomsen has also shot shots of Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I and soldiers at Agincourt
In the photo: the battle of Waterloo. Duncan said of the technology used for the images, “AI is advanced technology. I spent a month working out a formula of prompts, language, and photographic elements to give photos this ‘selfie’ effect.
Pictured: Napoleon and his troops at the Battle of Waterloo, 1815
Pictured: Cleopatra, who is said to have been one of the most beautiful women to ever walk the Earth
Pictured: Queen Elizabeth I
Pictured: Duncan captured an image of soldiers smiling for a camera at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415
Pictured: Neanderthals in a cave. Duncan said: ‘Creating the images can involve a lengthy programming process as AI requires users to tell it exactly what to do and requires an ‘absolute description’.
Pictured: cave dweller during the Stone Age. Duncan said: ‘This technology could be used in schools as a new way to educate and engage children in world history – it’s like traveling through time without a time machine. You can ask AI to be historically accurate and then it can reference anything, anywhere, anywhere – that’s the beauty of it.”