Artificial Intelligence Just Cost F1 Trophy Designers A Gig

Formula 1’s Canadian Grand Prix is this weekend, and as we’ve seen a few times over the last year or so, there’s going to be some innovation on the trophy design front.

Last season, the Japanese Grand Prix featured a smoochable trophy that lit up in the colors of the winner’s home country’s flag.

Then at the Chinese Grand Prix earlier this season, we got a wearable trophy that did pretty much the same thing.

Now? We’ve got a trophy “inspired” by artificial intelligence, and honestly, it was only a matter of time.

As was the case for the kissable and wearable trophies, the trophies are being designed with input from the race’s title sponsor. Lenovo was behind the previous two innovative trophies, while Amazon Web Services, or AWS is behind the trophy we will see in Canada.

The design team worked with F1 to use some of AWS’s programs to come up with ideas and prompts that were then used to generate designs using AI.

From there, the design will be turned into an actual trophy that the winner of the race will receive on the top step of the podium.

The final design was selected for “stunning and unique aerodynamic design and signature airflow twist” and it will be revealed Sunday during the race.

I mean, it makes sense, what with AWS being in the AI biz, but whenever stuff like this happens with AI it’s kind of a bummer. 

I just feel like AI can’t come up with ideas the way humans can. I know it requires prompts and everything, but there’s no way an AI program could come up with the greatest F1 trophy of all time: the gorilla one that they used to give out at the French Grand Prix.

Could AI come up with that?!

Actually, it probably could have… but still.