The Prince of Wales has expressed his deep concern about the dangers of artificial intelligence, as he warns of a world becoming “part human-part machine”.

The Prince, interviewed ahead of his 70th birthday, said he “totally and utterly objects” to an “extraordinary trend” for seeking machines to replace human functions, worrying for the effects on people’s well-being.

Saying he found it “crazy” to strive for ever-more integration of artificial intelligence and robotics with the human experience, he suggested it would eventually lead to people craving the return of traditional crafts.

Speaking to GQ magazine, as he was awarded its lifetime achievement award for services to philanthropy, the Prince admitted he has previously been accused of being controversial simply for “trying to draw attention to things that aren't necessarily part of the con­ventional viewpoint”.

He has spent decades warning about the dangers of climate change and plastics, conceding: “My problem is I find there are too many things that need doing or battling on behalf of.”