AI robots and the future of Carrara marble sculpture
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In Carrara, Italy, companies like LITIX and ROBOTOR are using robotic arms to carve marble sculptures from digital designs.
The technology converts images into 3D files, then directs the robots to perform most of the carving work. Giacomo Massari, founder and CEO of both companies, believes this approach can make sculpting more accessible to people without years of training and potentially improve workplace safety.
Traditional sculptors in the Carrara region have responded to the new technology with mixed feelings, expressing concern about robots replacing skilled labor. However, Massari argues that the robots evolve the job rather than eliminate it, handling up to 99% of the carving and allowing artisans to focus on finishing details.
Artist Davide Quayola embraces the use of algorithms and robots in his work, describing it as “algorithmic sculpting.” Quayola emphasizes that he programs the robot’s movements, maintaining creative control over the final piece and viewing the machine as an extension of his artistic process. This shift raises questions about how to define the creative act when machines perform the physical labor, and where the artist’s work begins and ends in the process.
