Ai-da is the humanoid robot storming the art market

A painting by Ai-da, entitled “AI God,” will go under the hammer as part of a special “Art and Technology” online sale organized by Sotheby's from October 31 to November 7. Image: Courtesy of Sotheby's©

Driven by advances in artificial intelligence, human-like robots are becoming ever more refined in terms of capacities. One of them, named Ai-da, is so sophisticated that it can even paint. One of Ai-da's works of art will soon be auctioned at Sotheby's.

It marks a new frontier in the art world. A painting by Ai-da, entitled “AI God,” is included in the catalog of a special “Art and Technology” online sale organized by Sotheby's from October 31 to November 7. The artwork is a portrait of the British mathematician Alan Turing, best known for helping to decipher the coded communications used by the German army during the Second World War. In this painting, the face of the father of computing is divided in two. It is composed of darker and darker spots, as if to evoke the mood of feelings that AI inspires in the general public. 

Ai-da is well positioned when it comes to addressing such subject matter, as it is itself based on artificial intelligence. This humanoid robot is equipped with mechanical arms, a high-definition scanner and software. In place of eyes are cameras, which enable Ai-da to paint, draw, sculpt and write poetry. All this makes Ai-da the first genuine robot artist in history. A status that has enabled "her" to exhibit work at the Venice Biennale, the Design Museum in London and even the Palais des Nations in Geneva. 

“AI God” is expected to sell for between $120,000 and $180,000. However, this painting could go for much more. Indeed, art collectors are increasingly interested in works of art created by artificial intelligence. Twenty-nine percent of those surveyed by insurer Hiscox as part of its “Art and AI” report are considering buying a work of this type, while 2% have already done so. Even so, this market has struggled to take off since the 2018 sale of “Portrait d'Edmond de Belamy.” At the time, that canvas sold for $432,500 at Christie's in New York.  

Sales of this kind have been rare in recent years, although several works designed by artificial intelligences have won art competitions. Proof that a shift is underway in the cultural sphere. Turkish-American digital artist Refik Anadol is well aware of the growing interest: he is working on the opening of a museum dedicated exclusively to AI-created art in Los Angeles, USA. It should open its doors at the end of 2025. And who knows? Maybe Ai-da's “AI God” will be on display.