A portrait of renowned English mathematician Alan Turing has made history by becoming the first artwork created by a humanoid robot to be sold at auction, fetching an impressive $1,084,800 at Sotheby’s Digital Art Sale on Thursday. The piece, titled A.I. God, was created by Ai-Da, the world’s first ultra-realistic robot artist, and shattered pre-sale expectations of around $180,000.
The 2.2-meter (7.5-foot) portrait, which depicts Turing, is a landmark moment in both the art world and the rapidly advancing intersection of artificial intelligence and creativity. Sotheby’s hailed the sale as a “record-breaking” event that marks a new era in the contemporary art market, reflecting the growing influence of AI technologies on art production and its commercial value.
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Ai-Da, a humanoid robot equipped with artificial intelligence, articulated her perspective on the significance of the artwork, saying: “The key value of my work is its capacity to serve as a catalyst for dialogue about emerging technologies.”
The robot added that the portrait of Alan Turing “invites viewers to reflect on the god-like nature of AI and computing while considering the ethical and societal implications of these advancements.”
Ai-Da is designed to resemble a human woman, with large eyes, a face, and a brown wig. She was created by art specialist Aidan Meller, with the help of AI experts from the University of Oxford and the University of Birmingham. The robot is named after Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer, and was conceived as a tool to explore the intersection of art, technology, and society.
Meller, who led the team behind Ai-Da, emphasized the relevance of the robot’s art in today’s world. “The greatest artists in history grappled with their period of time, celebrating and questioning society’s shifts,” he said. “Ai-Da Robot, as technology, is the perfect artist today to discuss the current developments with technology and its unfolding legacy.”
For this particular piece, Ai-Da developed the portrait of Turing after a discussion about “A.I. for good.” Using the robot’s ability to generate ideas through conversations with her creators, Ai-Da chose to create an image of Turing, known for his pioneering work in computing and his concerns about the potential dangers of artificial intelligence.
The robot then used cameras in her eyes to analyze an existing photo of Turing, before translating that image into a painting using her own AI-driven techniques. The result was a piece characterized by “muted tones and broken facial planes,” which Meller suggested symbolized Turing’s own warnings about the future of AI.
Ai-Da’s work has been described as “ethereal and haunting,” reflecting the complex relationship between AI and society, and raising important questions about the future of artificial intelligence. The sale of A.I. God underscores the growing significance of AI in contemporary art and its potential to shape future cultural and ethical debates.
