Sotheby’s aims to make history this month by selling its first-ever artwork made by a humanoid robot. A.I. God. Portrait of Alan Turig by Ai-Da is predicted to fetch six figures, according to the auction house. Bidding begins on October 31.
The Robotic Portrait by Ai-Da
In a controversial first, a major auction house is bringing a robot-made artwork to the auction block. Sotheby’s announced this week that its upcoming Digital Art Day Auction will feature art by Ai-Da, a humanoid robot artist. Ai-Da created A.I. God. Portrait of Alan Turing, which was first exhibited at the United Nations in May of this year. Turing was a mathematician and computer scientist who helped lay the foundation for modern computing and artificial intelligence. In 1949, he invented the Turing Test, which evaluates a machine’s ability to exhibit intelligence and behavior that is equivalent to or indistinguishable from that of a human. The 64-inch by 90-inch mixed-media portrait by Ai-Da has a pre-sale estimate of $120,000 to $180,000, as well as a third-party guarantee.
What—Or Who—Is Ai-Da?
According to its creator, gallerist Aidan Meller, Ai-Da is “the world’s first ultra-realistic humanoid robot artist.” The robot, which was named for the historic computer programmer Ada Lovelace, can physically draw and paint using a combination of cameras in its eyes, a robotic arm, and AI algorithms. Before Sotheby’s headline-grabbing auction announcement this week, the robot artist previously captured media attention by making portraits of headliners at the Glatsonbury Music Festival in 2022.
Meller described Ai-Da’s latest portrait as “different from other AI-generated works.” He told CBS MoneyWatch that “with Ai-Da there is a physical manifestation, and this is the first time a work from a robot of this type has ever come to auction.” He continued, “There is a lot of innovation happening—a huge number of robots are coming forward—and they will eventually do all sorts of different tasks. Art is a way of discussing the incredible changes in society that are happening because of technology.”
Sotheby’s Digital Art Day Auction
In addition to Ai-Da’s portrait, Sotheby’s Digital Art Day Auction offers “a wide range of works across the digital art movement” that the auction house hopes will equally entice both established and emerging collectors. Highlights include a selection of works from GRAILS: Property from an Iconic Collection and GRAILS: Starry Night, two notable digital art collections.
“Ai-Da’s portrait joins a selection of cutting-edge works that—in their individual ways—push the boundaries of artistic creation today,” said Michael Bouhanna, Sotheby’s Head of NFT and Digital Art, in a statement. “Together, they prompt a discussion of how we can appreciate and experience the ever-evolving possibilities around artmaking in the 21st century.”