Kiltmaker uses AI to design a new tartan – and it’s already been accepted onto the official Scottish Register

In the year since its launch, ChatGPT has already been used to draft articles, brew beer, write best man speeches, and even prescribe antibiotics.

Now, a kilt maker has used an artificial intelligence (AI) tool to design a new tartan – and it has already been accepted into the official Scottish Register.

Stephen Sim, 52, a former graphic designer based in Arbroath, said he was simply “blown away” by the chatbot’s intelligence.

The design features a prominent red color, to represent “the passion that drives AI development,” and gold for “the sparkle and illumination that AI brings to the world.”

The sleek design also includes many hidden references to artificial intelligence and science fiction, including “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.”

Mr Sim also used ChatGPT to create sci-fi-inspired images of neo-tartan-wearing robots among “electronic cities” that resemble electronic circuit boards

“My goal was to have a tartan that wouldn’t affect me in any way,” Mr Sim told MailOnline.

“The first instruction entered was ‘I wonder if you could create a new tartan for me?’ and I ensured that the colors used had a meaning relevant to the AI ​​invention.

According to her Registration notesTartan was created to “celebrate the dawn of artificial intelligence” and honor one of the field’s “founding fathers,” computer scientist John McCarthy.

Its colors – dark blue, brilliant gold, two shades of grey, red and green – collectively represent “humanity’s vast knowledge, enlightenment, neutrality, the journey of learning, creativity and innovation, and the environmental impact of the development of artificial intelligence.”

“Tartan aims to capture the essence of the development of artificial intelligence and its impact on the world while also warning of its potential risks and unintended consequences,” the description reads.

Mr Sim asked the robot to provide a “detailed and lively rationale” for the design which was reflected in the choices behind each colour.

One of the other colors is green which has been included to indicate “the importance of AI in humanity’s journey for the well-being of the planet.”

Mr Sim, who has been designing tartan for 12 years, said he was simply “blown away” by the chatbot’s intelligence

Stephen Sim, 52, said he was blown away by the intelligence of the chatbot, which was released in November 2022 and has since proven a smashing success for OpenAI.

According to Mr Sim, the number 42 is a large number in the number of tartan threads, and is a reference to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the famous 1979 novel by English author Douglas Adams.

In the book, the answer to “the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything” is 42 — although Adams meant that as a joke that didn’t make much sense.

Other important numbers in the tartan thread count respectively refer to the computer bytes and the year of the Dartmouth workshop.

The event in New Hampshire in the summer of 1956 is widely considered the founding event for artificial intelligence as a field.

Mr Sim – who has been designing tartan for 12 years and runs the website thetartanartisan.com – said skirts using the design were in the works.

Mr. Sim also used ChatGPT to create sci-fi-inspired images of neo-tartan-wearing robots among “cyber-cities” that resemble circuit boards.

“Additional circuit board images of the red and green E-Towns I asked ChatGPT to create to reinforce the idea of ​​this circuit board in tartan,” he said.

Mr. Simm isn’t the only one who has recently drawn inspiration from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy to bring an idea to life.

X owner Elon Musk has just unveiled a new chatbot called Grok that is modeled after the novel, one of the tech billionaire’s favorites.

The book depicts the adventures of the only man to survive the destruction of Earth, who learns the truth behind Earth’s existence while wandering in outer space.

Paying homage to the book’s humor, Grok is designed to answer questions “with a bit of wit and a rebellious streak.”