Ai-Da, the world’s first ultra-realistic robot artist, is set to have its artwork sold at a major auction house for the very first time.
Sotheby’s in London will auction Ai-Da’s painting, a portrait of Alan Turing, created to honor his foundational work in computer science and artificial intelligence.
While the concept for the painting was developed by Ai-Da’s human creators, she used her AI and robotic arm to autonomously execute the piece, layering paint on canvas in a unique style that combines human creativity with AI precision.
Sotheby’s expects the artwork to sell for up to £150,000 (around $180,000), reflecting not only the significance of the painting but also the impact of having a robot contribute to the art world in such a major way.
Ai-Da was developed in 2019 by a team from Oxford and Leeds Universities, and her creators have pushed the boundaries of both art and AI by giving her the ability to independently create drawings and paintings, making this auction a remarkable milestone in the fusion of technology and artistic expression.