Robot dogs with Musk, Zuckerberg heads take over Berlin museum
What's the story
In a bizarre turn of events, a pack of robot dogs have taken over the Neue Nationalgalerie museum in Berlin. The lifelike canines are fitted with hyper-realistic silicone heads modeled after some of the world's most powerful influencers including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos. The unusual display is part of an interactive installation called "Regular Animals" by American artist Beeple (Mike Winkelmann).
Statement
Dogs print images in styles associated with the celebrities
The "Regular Animals" exhibit, which has previously toured Miami and San Francisco, features the robot dogs wandering around their pen and even defecating printed images of their surroundings in styles associated with the celebrities they resemble. The Andy Warhol-inspired dog, for instance, would produce an image in the late artist's pop art style as rendered by its AI.
Tech critique
Project a commentary on tech billionaires' influence
Beeple's project is a commentary on how tech billionaires and their platforms or algorithms have distorted the common man's view of the world. He said, "In the past, our view of the world was shaped in part by how artists saw the world." Now, he added, "The view of the world today is now shaped by tech billionaires, who possess algorithms that dictate what society sees."
Artistic influence
How the artist had previously showcased the exhibit
Beeple also included a model of his head on some of the dogs, acknowledging his own influence as the third most expensive living artist to sell at auction. When he first unveiled the exhibit at Art Basel 2025 in Miami, he gave away photos excreted by the robots to audience members with certificates reading "100% organic GMO-free dog sh-t." The robots are set to "die" in three years, after which their existence will be "preserved forever on-chain," according to Beeple.