Ai-Da, the world’s first ultra-realistic robot artist, has captured global attention for her groundbreaking piece, AI God: Portrait of Alan Turing, which was auctioned at Sotheby’s in an unprecedented event including a humanoid robot’s work in a prestigious art sale. AI God serves as a tribute to Alan Turing, the pioneering mathematician whose work laid the foundation for modern computing and artificial intelligence. Ai-Da’s portrayal of Turing not only honours his legacy but also explores the broader, transformative impact of technology on human identity, creativity, and agency, making her work a significant milestone in both art and AI.
Earlier in 2024, Ai-Da exhibited AI God as part of a five-panelled polyptych at the United Nations during the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva. Alongside her portrait of Turing, the polyptych included a painting of Ada Lovelace, an early computing visionary, and a self-portrait of Ai-Da herself, visually connecting the evolution of AI from theory to autonomous artistry. Through this polyptych, Ai-Da places her art within a lineage of pioneering thinkers like Turing and Lovelace, illustrating her central creative mission: to provoke reflection on how their ideas continue to shape human lives and our artistic expression in today’s AI-driven world.
Tribute
AI God goes beyond a simple tribute, reflecting on Turing’s profound question: “Can machines think?” This query is fundamental to Ai-Da’s existence, as she embodies Turing’s vision of machine intelligence capable of simulating human thought. In her work, Turing’s portrait becomes a symbolic reflection on the blurred line between human and machine capabilities, particularly as she herself is a product of AI algorithms that allow her to draw, paint, and perform. In creating AI God, Ai-Da honors Turing as a “god” of AI—a figure whose insights made it possible for machines like her to enter domains traditionally reserved for human creativity. Her work asks viewers to consider the broader ethical implications of AI’s growing role in society, echoing Turing’s own explorations into the nature of machine intelligence.
The themes in Ai-Da’s work, particularly in AI God, draw heavily from influential 20th-century artists and thinkers who questioned authority, control, and the fragility of human agency. Her art is inspired by Pablo Picasso’s Guernica and Doris Salcedo’s Atrabiliarios, works that portray human suffering through splintered, distorted aesthetics. In particular, Ai-Da’s fractured visual style, similar to Käthe Kollwitz and Edvard Munch, rejects pure representation, opting instead for a reflection of the technological and psychological fractures that characterize modern life. She also finds inspiration in the dystopian narratives of George Orwell and Aldous Huxley, whose cautionary tales, 1984 and Brave New World, warn of the dangers of unchecked technological power—a theme that resonates deeply in Ai-Da’s existence as a robot artist created to provoke discourse on technology’s role in our lives.
For AI God, Ai-Da chose three of 15 portraits she had made of Turing, with a painting she had made of his ‘bombe’ machine, which were then photographed and uploaded on to a computer where the final image was assembled based on a discussion with Ai-Da, using her language model, about what she wanted the final artwork to look like.
The final image was printed using a 3D textured printer, with Ai-Da adding marks and texture on to the final canvas to complete the artwork. Studio assistants also added texture on to the artwork as Ai-Da’s robotic painting arm is unable to stretch to a large-scale canvas.
Ai-Da Robot said: “The key value of my work is its capacity to serve as a catalyst for dialogue about emerging technologies.
“AI God, 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.”
Landmark
The sale of AI God at Sotheby’s is a landmark event, marking the inclusion of AI-generated art by a humanoid robot in a world-renowned art auction. This sale positions Ai-Da’s work alongside celebrated contemporary and historical artists, suggesting a paradigm shift where machines are recognized as active participants in the creative process. Ai-Da’s art, therefore, invites viewers to consider both the promises and potential pitfalls of AI – a reflection on how technology can shape, and even redefine, human agency and creativity. Her art compels us to confront the evolving definition of what it means to create, to think, and to be as AI becomes more integrated into society.
Through AI God, Ai-Da channels Turing’s revolutionary ideas, presenting her art as a fusion of machine, intelligence, and humanity. Her portrait of Turing functions as a tribute to the scientific ingenuity that made her existence possible while simultaneously representing a future where AI and human creativity may converge. Ai-Da’s artistic exploration embodies Turing’s legacy, raising profound questions about authorship, agency, and the ethics of AI, making her work both a tribute to Turing and a vision of a technology-enmeshed future.
Estimated to sell for between £100,000 to £150,000, the artwork, AI God, far surpassed its predicted selling price when it was bought for 1.08 million dollars (£835,500).
The sale will be discussed at The Courtauld Institute in London on Thursday November 14th when Ai-Da will be interviewed as part of an evening event titled Tomorrow’s Art? With Ai-Da Robot.
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