<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>332683</docID> <postdate>2024-11-08 12:32:37</postdate> <headline>Robot makes history as humanoid’s art sells at auction</headline> <body><figure class="wire-column__preview__image"> <p><img class="wp-image-332684 size-full" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241102118282661437-original-resized-e1731029514801.jpg" alt="" width="760" height="507" /></p> <caption>The Ai-Da Robot in front of its AI-created A.I. God. Portrait of Alan Turing artwork. Photo: Sotheby's</caption> </figure> <div class="wire-articles__item__meta"> <div class="wire-articles__item__icons"> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Hannah Roberts</strong> in London</span></p> <p><strong>A portrait of Alan Turing created by a robot has been auctioned for more than $A1.6 million and made history in the process.</strong></p> <p>Ai-Da Robot, named after Ada Lovelace, who is considered to be the first computer programmer, has become the first humanoid robotic artist to have its artwork sold by a major auction house.</p> <p>Created by Ai-Da Robot Studios, Ai-Da is an ultra-realistic robot designed to look like a human female, which has cameras in its eyes and uses artificial intelligence to create drawings, paintings and sculptures.</p> <p>Estimated to sell for between Stg100,000 to Stg150,000, the artwork, AI God, far surpassed its predicted selling price when it was bought for Stg835,500 ($A1.62 million) on Thursday.</p> <p>The large-scale portrait, which stands 2.2 metres tall and was created using AI algorithms, depicts Turing, who is regarded as the father of modern computer science.</p> <p>"The key value of my work is its capacity to serve as a catalyst for dialogue about emerging technologies," Ai-Da Robot said.</p> <p>"AI God, a portrait of pioneer Alan Turing, invites viewers to reflect on the godlike nature of AI and computing while considering the ethical and societal implications of these advancements.</p> <p>"Alan Turing recognised this potential, and stares at us, as we race towards this future."</p> <p>Ai-Da Robot Studios director Aidan Meller said: "This auction is an important moment for the visual arts, where Ai-Da's artwork brings focus on artworld and societal changes, as we grapple with the rising age of AI.</p> <p>"The artwork AI God raises questions about agency as AI gains more power."</p> <p>In 2022, Ai-Da painted portraits of the acts headlining Glastonbury Festival: Billie Eilish, Diana Ross, Kendrick Lamar and Paul McCartney.</p> <p>The same year the robot painted a portrait of the Queen before the platinum jubilee and became the first AI-powered robot to give evidence to a parliamentary committee which discussed the impact of technology on the creative industries.</p> <p>The portrait was part of Sotheby's Digital Art Sale.</p> </div> <div class="wire-articles__item__meta-info"></div> </div> </body>