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Humanoid robot’s artwork sold at auction: ‘Ethereal and haunting’ AI painting fetches a whopping $1 million
The humanoid robot created a 7.5-foot portrait of English mathematician Alan Turing. The artwork, "A.I. God," was auctioned at Sotheby's.
A portrait of English mathematician Alan Turing became the first artwork by a humanoid robot to be sold at auction, fetching more than $1.0 million on Thursday.
The 2.2-metre (7.5-foot) portrait "A.I. God" by "Ai-Da", the world's first ultra-realistic robot artist, went for $1,084,800, smashing pre-sale expectations of $180,000 at auction house Sotheby's Digital Art Sale.
What did the auction house say?
"Today's record-breaking sale price for the first artwork by a humanoid robot artist to go up for auction marks a moment in the history of modern and contemporary art and reflects the growing intersection between A.I. technology and the global art market," said the auction house.
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Humanoid robot on its artwork:
Ai-Da Robot, which uses AI to speak, said: "The key value of my work is its capacity to serve as a catalyst for dialogue about emerging technologies."
Ai-Da added that a "portrait of pioneer 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."
About Ai-Da Robot:
The ultra-realistic robot, one of the most advanced in the world, is designed to resemble a human woman with a face, large eyes and a brown wig.
Ai-Da is named after Ada Lovelace, the world's first computer programmer and was devised by Aidan Meller, a specialist in modern and contemporary art.
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"The greatest artists in history grappled with their period of time, and both celebrated and questioned society's shifts," said Meller.
"Ai-Da Robot as technology, is the perfect artist today to discuss the current developments with technology and its unfolding legacy," he added.
How was the artwork created?
Ai-Da generates ideas through conversations with members of the studio and suggested creating an image of Turing during a discussion about "A.I. for good".
The robot was then asked what style, colour, content, tone and texture to use, before using cameras in its eyes to look at a picture of Turing and create the painting.
Meller led the team that created Ai-Da with artificial intelligence specialists at the universities of Oxford and Birmingham in England.
Who was Alan Turing?
Turing, who made his name as a World War II codebreaker, mathematician and early computer scientist, had raised concerns about the use of AI in the 1950s, he added.
About the auctioned artwork:
The artwork's "muted tones and broken facial planes" seemingly suggested "the struggles Turing warned we will face when it comes to managing AI", he said.
Ai-Da's works were "ethereal and haunting" and "continue to question where the power of AI will take us, and the global race to harness its power", he added.
