A tool developed by Google lets users upload pictures of their pets and discover the hidden work of art within the animal.
Inspired by the success of their Arts & Culture app, which allows people to identify themselves in renowned artworks, the Palo Alto firm launched the animal version called Pet Portraits at the end of 2021.
It’s time for your pet to find its artistic doppelganger. This newly added feature, accessible on iOS and Android, can assist you in determining which of the pets depicted in the artwork most closely matches your own.
Using artificial intelligence, the app’s algorithm compares your companion’s appearance to a library of existing art pieces.
Chinese watercolors, Egyptian figures, or Mexican street art are a few examples of the thousands of pet-friendly artworks in the app’s collection.
For instance, a photograph of your pet will be judged against more than 10,000 works of art.
Apart from the playful dimension, the software promises to provide more insight into the artworks and their past. It just takes a few seconds to use.
The portfolio of Pet Portraits now includes, in addition to cats and dogs, a variety of fish, birds, and reptiles. Pet owners can choose either a photograph from their collection to use or take a fresh picture of their pet.
They may also test the app on the pets of their friends and coworkers by uploading photographs of their furry companions.
When you have found the artwork that contains your animal, you will access a variety of information regarding the piece and the person who created it.
Since the beginning, Google has actively encouraged its users to upload images to the internet using the hashtag #PetPortraits. Subsequently, many users have accepted the challenge, sharing comical results from the application.
Your #PetPortraits might be a single, static image or a collection of images you animate into a GIF presentation.
A similar concept to Pet Portraits
The idea behind Pet Portraits itself is not exactly a novelty. Â Surprisingly, Philippe Tyberghien, a French-Belgian citizen, has bested Google in this domain.
 The visual artist and graphic designer established staranimal.net in 2009. His innovative website contains photographs of animals with human-like features.
Moreover, the artist creates one-of-a-kind pet photos for individuals and companies on commission. He owns several collections covering a wide range of periods and media types.
For each order, the artist donates ten euros to animal rights organizations.