Born in London in 1928, Harold Cohen was a British artist most famously noted as the creator of AARON, a computer programme designed to produce art autonomously by simulating the cognitive processes underlying the human act of drawing. Cohen studied at Slade School of Fine Art, where he also taught for several years after completing his degree. Throughout the 1960s, Cohen contributed work to global art events including the Biennale di Venezia, documenta III, the Biennale de Paris, and the Carnegie International in Pittsburgh. Cohen moved to the United States in 1968 and in 1971 spent time at Stanford University's Artificial Intelligence Lab; at Stanford, his fascination with artificial intelligence led him to create the AARON programme. His work in the intersection of computer technology and art attracted a great deal of attention and led to exhibitions at many museums, including the Tate Gallery in London.
Cohen died on 27 April 2016 in Encinitas, California.