At a New York auction, a painting created by a humanoid robot sold for $1.08 million (approximately £566,000 or A$1,630,000), marking the first time a robot-created artwork has been sold at an auction. The piece, titled "A.I. God. Portrait of Alan Turing," depicts the renowned mathematician Alan Turing and stands at 2.2 meters (7.5 feet) tall, far exceeding the pre-auction estimate of $120,000 to $180,000.
Photo from Sotheby’s/EPA
The auction was held by the prestigious Sotheby's art institution. The organizers noted the significance of this sale in the history of modern and contemporary art, reflecting the growing intersection between artificial intelligence technology and the global art market. The robot artist, named Ai-Da, is the world's first ultra-realistic robotic artist with the ability to speak. At the auction, Ai-Da stated, "The key value of my work is to stimulate dialogue about emerging technologies."
Ai-Da believes that Turing's portrait can provoke thoughts on the mysterious nature of artificial intelligence and computers, as well as the ethical and social impacts of these technological advancements. Turing, a mathematician and early computer scientist who made significant contributions to breaking Nazi Germany's codes during World War II, expressed concerns about the use of artificial intelligence in the 1950s.
Ai-Da was developed by modern and contemporary art expert Aidan Meller, named after the world's first computer programmer, Ada Lovelace. Meller led the development team for Ai-Da in collaboration with AI experts from the University of Oxford and the University of Birmingham. Ai-Da generates creative ideas through conversations with studio members and proposed the creation of Turing's portrait during discussions on the theme of "AI for Good." Subsequently, Ai-Da observed photographs of Turing and created the painting.
Meller noted that the "soft tones and fragmented facial contours" of the painting seem to hint at the challenges Turing warned about regarding the management of artificial intelligence. He described Ai-Da's work as "ethereal and unforgettable," constantly questioning where artificial intelligence will lead us and the challenges the world will face in the race to control its power.
Key Points:
🌟 The first painting created by a humanoid robot sold at auction for over $1 million, surpassing expectations.
🤖 The artwork "A.I. God. Portrait of Alan Turing" has sparked extensive discussions on artificial intelligence and social ethics.
🎨 Ai-Da is an ultra-realistic robotic artist who generates creative ideas through dialogue, exploring the integration of art and technology.