A groundbreaking painting created by an AI robot of World War II codebreaker Alan Turing has sold for a record $1.3 million (£1 million) at auction, far surpassing its original estimated price of $120,000 to $180,000.
Titled A.I. God, the portrait was auctioned by Sotheby’s, which received 27 bids in the digital art sale.
The piece has set a new benchmark for art created by humanoid robots, with the auction house calling it a “new frontier in the global art market.”
The artwork was produced by Ai-Da Robot, the first humanoid robot to achieve an auction sale for its artwork. Ai-Da’s portrait of Turing honors the mathematician’s legacy as a pioneer of computer science and the “father of artificial intelligence.”
Turing, who studied at King’s College, Cambridge, was instrumental in cracking Nazi codes during World War II, notably deciphering the Enigma machine at Bletchley Park. His post-war work laid the foundations for modern digital computers.
The online auction closed at 19:00 GMT on Thursday, with an undisclosed buyer purchasing the portrait at a price that greatly exceeded its initial estimate.
Sotheby’s noted that this sale highlights the merging worlds of AI technology and contemporary art, making a significant moment in art history.
Ai-Da Robot, which can speak through an advanced AI language model, expressed its artistic intent, stating, “The key value of my work is its capacity to serve as a catalyst for dialogue about emerging technologies.”
The portrait, according to Ai-Da, prompts viewers to reflect on the “god-like nature of AI and computing” and the ethical considerations they bring.
Aidan Meller, director of the Ai-Da Robot Studios, emphasized the importance of the sale, noting that A.I. God raises critical questions about AI’s role in society and the future of the visual arts.
As he explained, “This auction is an important moment for the visual arts, where Ai-Da’s artwork brings focus on artworld and societal changes, as we grapple with the rising age of AI.”
Also read: Natalie Imbruglia Revealed As Bluebell On The Masked Singer Season 12
