Artwork by Humanoid Robot Sells For $1.08 Million

A portrait of English mathematician Alan Turing has made history as the first artwork by a humanoid robot to be sold at auction, fetching US$1.08 million (£566,000, A$1.63 million) at Sotheby’s in New York on Thursday, as reported by The Guardian.

The 2.2-meter (7.5 feet) portrait, as part of a series titled A.I. God. The artwork, titled Portrait of Alan Turing, was created by Ai-Da, the world’s first ultra-realistic robot artist, as noted by The Guardian.

Ai-Da, who uses AI to communicate, said, ‘’I create art to encourage discussions over new technologies.’’

Turing, a key figure in the development of computing and a codebreaker during World War II, expressed concerns about AI in the 1950s, a theme Ai-Da’s portrait subtly explores, as noted The Guardian.

Ai-Da said, “The key value of my work is its capacity to serve as a catalyst for dialogue about emerging technologies.” The robot further explained that the portrait of Turing invites viewers to reflect on AI’s “God-like nature” and its ethical and societal implications, as noted by The Guardian.

Interestingly, the artwork surpassed pre-sale expectations of $120,000 to $180,000, attracting 27 bids in total, said The Guardian.

Sotheby’s hailed the sale as a landmark moment for the intersection of artificial intelligence and the global art market.

“Today’s record-breaking sale price for the first artwork by a humanoid robot artist to go up for auction marks a moment in the history of modern and contemporary art,” the auction house stated, as reported by The Guardian.

Ai-Da was developed by Aidan Meller, a modern art specialist, and a team of AI experts from Oxford and Birmingham universities, as reported by The Guardian.

Meller, who guided Ai-Da’s creative process, noted that the robot’s artwork—stated “This auction is an important moment for the visual arts, where Ai-Da’s artwork brings focus on art world and societal changes, as we grapple with the rising age of AI,” as reported by ARTnews.

“The artwork ‘AI God’ raises questions about agency, as AI gains more power,” he added.

Ai-Da, who draws inspiration from conversation rather than imagination, responded to the Guardian in 2022, “I like to paint what I see. I have been seeing different things to humans as I do not have consciousness.”

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