The First Artwork Made by a Humanoid Robot Is Headed to Auction

Sotheby’s will auction its first artwork made by a humanoid robot using artificial intelligence algorithms.

On October 31, the auction house will sell A.I. God. Portrait of Alan Turing (2024) by the humanoid robot artist Ai-Da. The portrait of mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing was created using Ai-Da Robot’s AI algorithms.

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U.K.-based art dealer and gallery owner Aidan Meller created the Ai-Da humanoid robot, depicted as a woman with a black bob and dressed in a t-shirt and denim overalls. The robot draws and paints through a combination of cameras in its eyes, AI algorithms and a robotic arm.

The 64-inch by 90-inch mixed media on canvas has an estimate of $120,000 to $180,000, with a third-party guarantee.

“What makes this work of art different from other AI-generated works is that with Ai-Da there is a physical manifestation, and this is the first time a work from a robot of this type has ever come to auction,” Meller told CBS MoneyWatch, which first reported the news of the sale.

Meller also said the Sotheby’s auction of A.I. God. Portrait of Alan Turing highlights the rise and benefits of AI.

“There is a lot of innovation happening—a huge number of robots are coming forward—and they will eventually do all sorts of different tasks. Art is a way of discussing the incredible changes in society that are happening because of technology,” Meller told CBS, noting the proceeds of the sale will be reinvested in the project, which is expensive to power.

“There may be limited public record to assess the market for singular works like ‘A.I. God. Portrait of Alan Turing‘ by Ai-Da, but after extensive conversations with prominent collectors at the intersection of art and technology—particularly in the realm of AI—it became clear that demand for this piece is strong,” Sotheby’s vice president and head of digital art Michael Bouhanna said in a statement to ARTnews. “The enthusiasm and interest from these collectors, combined with their conviction in the importance of this work within the AI art space, directly influenced my decision to position the pre-sale estimate at a level that reflects its anticipated desirability and market potential.”

A.I. God. Portrait of Alan Turing was exhibited at the AI for Good Global Summit at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland earlier this year in May “as part of a five paneled Polyptych.”

In addition to the portrait by the humanoid robot, Sotheby’s digital art sale on October 31 will include works by Refik Anadol, PAK, Xcopy, DesLucrece, and other digital artists.

Update, October 22, 2024: Added statement and artwork image from Sotheby’s.

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