Sotheby’s to sell first artwork made by a humanoid robot

Auction house Sotheby’s is to sell its first work by a humanoid AI robot artist later this month. ‘AI God’, a portrait of Alain Turing, was created by Ai-Da this year.

The portrait of Turing, known as the father of AI, is a 64 x 90.5-inch mixed-media painting on canvas. It is estimated to sell for between $120,000 and $180,000 on 31 October, according to a listing on the Sotheby’s website.

Named after British mathematician and computer pioneer Ada Lovelace, Ai-Da was created by UK-based art dealer and gallery owner Aidan Meller.

‘AI God’ by Ai-Da

To produce works of art, Ai-Da uses the cameras in her eyes, an innovative painting arm, and AI algorithms.

Her achievements include speaking at the House of Lords and the UN, and taking part in the world’s largest mass participation AI art event.

Ai-Da has also exhibited at Tate Modern, London’s Design Museum, the V&A and the Ashmolean Museum.

“Ai-Da’s portrait joins a selection of cutting-edge works that – in their individual ways – push the boundaries of artistic creation today,” Michael Bouhanna, Sotheby’s head of NFT and digital art, said in a statement.

“Together, they prompt a discussion of how we can appreciate and experience the ever-evolving possibilities around art-making in the 21st century.”

Meller told CBS MoneyWatch that the proceeds from the sale will be reinvested in the Ai-Da project.

“What makes this work of art different from other AI-generated works is 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 said.

“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.”