AI artist imagines futuristic rainwear and ‘Amphibious Autorickshaws’

Screenwriter and digital creator Prateek Arora created the AI art series using Midjourney.

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As Indian cities struggle with waterlogged roads with the arrival of monsoon, an AI artist has reimagined a highly futuristic, but also oddly realistic, take on public vehicles that will be able to move across waterlogged or flooded streets. These vehicles, which look like a cross between an autorickshaw and a submarine have been called “Amphibious Autorickshaws’.

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A post shared by Prateek Arora (@_prateekarora)

Screenwriter and digital creator Prateek Arora created this AI art series using Midjourney. In a related series, Arora also created a set of images that showed regular people in Transformers-style outfits. While sharing these images, Arora wrote, “Hyper-Adaptive Rainwear. Bring it, Mumbai.”

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A post shared by Prateek Arora (@_prateekarora)

Commenting on this series, an Instagram user wrote, “In 2047, you need a mech suit because Mumbai monsoons means you’re going to be under water”. Another person remarked, “This makes me think of a super cool sci fi story where sea levels rise so much because of climate change that Mumbai turns into a dystopian Indian Venice.”.

In recent months, Arora has gained much attention for the distinct sci-fiction and horror elements of his AI artwork that incorporate the aesthetics of the Indian subcontinent.

In conversation with Home Grown, Arora explained his style. He said, “I’m strongly inclined towards science fiction and horror, and we don’t really get enough of either on screen in India, I think. There are no Indian equivalents to Star Wars/ Marvel/ Stephen King’s body of work, in terms of cultural impact, and as such no multi-generational affinity towards these genres.”

“So I guess I’m trying to ‘culture hack’ in a way by using AI imaging tools to create mood boards for Indian sci-fi and horror movies that I wish existed.”