A significant milestone has been achieved in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and the arts, marked by the recent auction of a portrait created by Ai-Da, a humanoid robot artist. This groundbreaking event took place last month, when Ai-Da's artwork, titled "AI God," was sold for more than £800,000 (approximately US$1.08 million) at a major auction house. Ai-Da is notable for being the first robotic artist to have her work auctioned in such a prestigious setting.
Ai-Da was developed by a collective of innovators led by Aidan Meller. Designed to resemble a human woman, Ai-Da incorporates advanced technology including cameras in her eyes and a sophisticated AI system that enables her to generate drawings, paintings, and sculptures. The portrait of Alan Turing, which stands at an impressive 2.2 metres, utilises AI algorithms to create a piece that honors Turing, who is widely regarded as the father of modern computer science and played a key role in cryptanalysis during the Second World War. The initial auction estimates placed the artwork's value between £100,000 to £150,000 (US$126,920 to US$190,380), yet the final sale price exceeded expectations considerably.
The creative process for the portrait involved Ai-Da selecting one of the fifteen portrayals she had previously created of Turing. The selected images were photographed and uploaded to a computer, with the final composition resulting from Ai-Da's interactions using her language model, which facilitated communications about the artwork. The event of assembling the final image was marked by the use of a 3D textured printer to print the image onto canvas. Following this, Ai-Da contributed further to the piece by adding texture, though studio assistants were required to assist with the edges, as her robotic painting arm was limited in its reach.
Commenting on the significance of her work, Ai-Da expressed, “AI God, a portrait of pioneer Alan Turing, invites viewers to reflect on the godlike nature of AI and computing while considering these advancements’ ethical and societal implications. Alan Turing recognised this potential and stares at us as we race towards this future.” Furthermore, Meller, the head of Ai-Da Robot Studios, remarked on the importance of the auction for the visual arts, noting that Ai-Da’s artwork stimulates discussions surrounding the evolution of the art world amidst the increasing prevalence of AI technologies. He stated, “The artwork AI God raises questions about agency as AI gains more power.”
In addition to her portrayal of Turing, Ai-Da has created portraits of notable figures, including the 2022 Glastonbury Festival headliners such as Billie Eilish, Diana Ross, Kendrick Lamar, and Paul McCartney. She also crafted a portrait of the British Queen in anticipation of her platinum jubilee. In a notable first for AI, Ai-Da even gave evidence to a parliamentary committee, addressing the implications of technology on creative industries.
As businesses and industries increasingly integrate AI technologies, the impact on creative practices and the art world continues to evolve, as demonstrated by the unprecedented achievements of Ai-Da.
Source: Noah Wire Services