Everyone knows that the internet loves cats in all shapes and sizes, but a new web tool is testing the limits of just how hideous a cat can be before we throw our arms up in disgust. It’s a machine learning experiment called Edges2cats, and it can produce some truly hideous monstrosities the likes of which you’ve never even dreamed of. It’s also an incredibly fun time waster, so let’s dive in.
Built by Christopher Hesse, the tool utilizes Google’s machine learning software library TensorFlow. All you have to do is draw a doodle in a plain white box and let the machine attempt to turn it into a cat. The algorithm was trained using “about 2,000 stock cat photos” and pulls from its knowledge base to fill in the lines with what it thinks makes up a cat.
The beauty of the tool is that you can draw quite literally anything, and once the computer brain is done getting all artsy you’ll get something either totally adorable or absolutely disturbing. Most of the time, the computer does a really fantastic job making the creature you drew look like a believable animal, but sometimes things just don’t work out.
Hesse has used the machine learning library to make a few other cool drawing tools as well, including ones that create building facades, shoes, and handbags, but it’s clear that the cat creation tool is the most hilarious and frightening. Just remember, you can’t unsee any of this.
