---
title: "This AI Draws Horrifying New Pokémon"
description: "A generative adversarial network (GAN) drew new Pokémon when taught what Pokémon look like by Twitter user Michael Frisen."
date: "2019-05-14"
modified: "2019-11-15"
authors:
  - name: "Victor Tangermann"
    job_title: "Senior Editor"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/neural-network-pokemon"
categories:
  - "Artificial Intelligence"
tags:
  - "artificial intelligence"
  - "generative adversarial network"
  - "neural network"
  - "the digest"
---

# This AI Draws Horrifying New Pokémon

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/these-grotesque-pokemon-were-drawn-by-a-neural-network.png>)
*\<em\>Image: Michael Friesen/Twitter\</em\>*

## Chererzerd

Twitter user Michael Friesen taught a generative adversarial network (GAN) — a machine learning AI designed to dream up images of anything from [human faces](<https://futurism.com/incredibly-realistic-faces-generated-neural-network>) to [Airbnbs](<https://futurism.com/fake-airbnb-listings-machine-learning>) — to generate new Pokémon.

The neural network came up with its own lineup of pixel art Pokémon that look, well, quite a bit more disconcerting than the real thing. Just don't examine them too closely.

https://twitter.com/MichaelFriese10/status/1127614400750346240

Friesen used a neural network called StyleGAN that was originally created by NVIDIA. NVIDIA open sourced the code to the AI [back in February](<https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=NVIDIA-StyleGAN-Open-Source>), allowing anybody with coding know-how to come up with their own neural network project.

## Perkacher

Previous examples of projects that caught people's attention include [ThisCatDoesNotExist.com](<https://futurism.com/cat-doesnt-exist-ai>), a site that generates — you've guessed it — pictures of creepy cats.

The technology has come a long way. Last month, a tech company housed on the campus of Japan’s Kyoto University, showed off an AI that can whip up photo-realistic, high-resolution [images of people](<https://futurism.com/ai-generates-entire-bodies-people-dont-exist>), including faces, hair and outfits.

**READ MORE: [AI-generated Pokémon that should not be](<https://boingboing.net/2019/05/13/ai-generated-pokemon-that-shou.html>) \[*Boing Boing*\]**

**More on generative adversarial networks:** *[Amazing AI Generates Entire Bodies of People Who Don’t Exist](<https://futurism.com/ai-generates-entire-bodies-people-dont-exist>)*

## Author
I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/vtanger.bsky.social>)