A Palo Alto art center now displays dog-like robots bearing the faces of tech billionaires Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, after the machines were spotted roaming San Francisco streets earlier this month, sparking confusion and concern among residents who encountered the four-legged androids.

Artist Creates Unsettling Tech Portraits

NODE, a digital art center in Palo Alto, confirmed the robots are part of an exhibition called Regular Animals by artist Mike Winkelmann, known professionally as Beeple. The tan-colored machines feature expressionless silicon heads mounted on quadruped robot bodies. Video footage shows the Musk-headed robot trotting through city streets and waving at startled pedestrians. A second robot bears the likeness of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. NODE representatives defended the project as a way to bring digital culture into public spaces and generate conversation about technology’s role in society.

Exhibition Plans Three-Year Robot Lifespan

The robots appear as part of the larger INFINITE_LOOP exhibition, described as a mid-career survey of Beeple’s work. NODE explained that each robot functions as a fluid digital canvas rather than a static sculpture. The machines will collect memories and experiences during public interactions, storing data on blockchain technology. After three years of operation, equivalent to twenty-one dog years, the creators plan to permanently shut down each robot and preserve its accumulated digital memories on-chain forever. Representatives stated the project reinterprets pop portraiture and generative art through technological advancement.

Questions About Permission And Privacy

Neither Musk nor Zuckerberg has publicly commented on the use of their likenesses for the art project. Representatives from NODE did not clarify whether the tech executives granted permission for their faces to appear on the robots. Beeple previously showcased similar robotic creations at a Miami event late last year. The exhibition invites visitors to display their own digital artwork alongside the main installation, blurring traditional boundaries between artist and audience. The project raises broader questions about artistic expression, privacy rights, and the increasing intersection of technology with public spaces in Silicon Valley.