Michelle ThompsonAn AI-generated painting of World War II codebreaker Alan Turing sold for a record $1.3 million at auction. “A.I. God,” created by the Ai-Da Robot, had been expected to fetch between $120,000 and $180,000. Turing, a key figure in computer science and AI, was the subject of the work. Sotheby’s described the sale as a milestone, marking the first auction of an artwork by a humanoid robot.
Ai-Da Robot created 15 paintings of Alan Turing, each taking up to eight hours to complete.
The artwork is a large portrait of Alan Turing, who studied at King’s College, Cambridge, and helped crack Nazi codes during WWII. Turing’s work on the Enigma machine was vital to the Allies’ victory, and he later designed a digital computer.
Sotheby’s online auction ended Thursday at 19:00 GMT, with the piece sold for a price well above its estimate, to an undisclosed buyer.
Alan Turing is regarded as the father of modern computing.
Sotheby’s stated that the sale of the first artwork by a humanoid robot marks a significant moment in modern and contemporary art, highlighting the growing link between A.I. technology and the art market. Ai-Da Robot, who uses an advanced A.I. language model, described the artwork’s value as sparking discussions about emerging technologies. The piece encourages viewers to reflect on the god-like aspects of A.I. and computing, while also considering their ethical and societal impacts. Ai-Da added that Alan Turing recognized this potential, symbolized in the portrait as he gazes toward the future.
In 2023 and 2024, Ai-Da Robot took part in the United Nations Global Summit on AI for Good.
Aidan Meller, director of Ai-Da Robot Studios, stated that the auction marks a significant moment in the visual arts, highlighting the impact of AI on both the art world and society. He added that the artwork “AI God” raises important questions about agency as AI continues to gain influence.
