The first artwork to go to auction that was made by an AI-powered humanoid robot has sold for more than $1m.
The painting of mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing was created by Ai-Da, who is described as the world’s first ultra-realistic artist robot.
She is capable of creating paintings and drawings using camera eyes, a robot arm and sophisticated AI algorithms.
Ai-Da’s creations have been shown at exhibitions around the world, but this was the first to be sold at a private auction.
Titled A.I. God, the portrait stands at 2.2 metres (7.5 feet) high and depicts Turing, who was pivotal in cracking codes and deciphering Germany’s Enigma machine at Bletchley Park during World War II.
He is also widely considered to be the father of theoretical computer science.
The annual Turing Award recognises contributions of lasting and major technical importance in computer science, while the Turing Test is a method of assessment to determine whether an AI is capable of thinking like a human.
Ai-Da’s Turing portrait sold for far more than expected
Auctioneer Sotheby’s said that there were 27 bids for the art sale, which fittingly took place digitally.
The identity of the buyer was not disclosed, but the auction house confirmed that the painting broke the million-dollar mark, eventually going for $1,084,800 (£836,667).
This far surpassed pre-sale estimates, which valued the piece at between $120,000 and $180,000.
Sotheby’s said that the first auction of AI art by a humanoid robot marked “a moment in the history of modern and contemporary art” that reflected a “growing intersection between AI technology and the global art market”.
Ai-Da herself weighed in on the discussion via the AI algorithms that allow her to speak, suggesting that the main value of her work was to “serve as a catalyst for dialogue about emerging technologies”.
She added that an AI-generated portrait of a figure such as Turing invited the viewer to “reflect on the God-like nature of AI” while also thinking about the ethical and societal implications brought about by the technology.
Ai-Da suggested making a portrait of Turing during a discussion with her creator’s studio on ‘AI for good’.
Ai-Da Robot Studios director Aidan Meller said that the robot’s works question where “the power of AI will take us”.
