A painting of World War II codebreaker Alan Turing, created by an AI robot, has been sold for $1,084,800 (£836,667) at auction.
Sotheby’s reported that the digital artwork titled “A.I. God” received 27 bids, far surpassing its initial estimate of $120,000 (£9,252) to $180,000 (£139,000). Turing, known as the father of artificial intelligence and a pioneer in computer science, was the subject of the painting.
The auction house described the sale as “launching a new frontier in the global art market” and setting a new benchmark for artwork created by a humanoid robot. This sale marks the first time an artwork by an AI artist has been sold at auction, reflecting the growing convergence between AI technology and the art world.
Ai-Da Robot, the artist behind the piece, uses a sophisticated AI language model to communicate. In a statement, Ai-Da emphasized that the value of her work lies in its ability to spark conversations about emerging technologies. The artwork invites viewers to contemplate the god-like nature of AI and computing, as well as the ethical and societal implications of these advancements, with a particular nod to Turing’s recognition of AI’s potential.
Aidan Meller, director of Ai-Da Robot Studios, noted that the auction represents a pivotal moment in the visual arts, highlighting how Ai-Da’s work addresses the societal changes brought about by the rise of AI. He further explained that the piece raises crucial questions about agency as AI continues to grow in power.
While the initial sale price was reported as $1.3 million, the auctioneer later corrected it to $1,084,800.
