Humanoid robot’s artwork of Alan Turing sells for US$1.3 million

A portrait of English mathematician Alan Turing became the first artwork by a humanoid robot to be sold at auction, fetching US$1,320,000 on Thursday.

The 2.2 metre (7.5 feet) portrait A.I. God by “Ai-Da”, the world’s first ultra-realistic robot artist, smashed presale expectations of US$180,000 when it went under the hammer at London auction house Sotheby’s Digital Art Sale.

“Today’s record-breaking sale price for the first artwork by a humanoid robot artist to go up for auction marks a moment in the history of modern and contemporary art and reflects the growing intersection between A.I. technology and the global art market,” said the auction house.

Ai-Da Robot, which uses AI to speak, said: “The key value of my work is its capacity to serve as a catalyst for dialogue about emerging technologies”.

Ai-Da added that 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”.

The ultra-realistic robot, one of the most advanced in the world, is designed to resemble a human woman with a face, large eyes and a brown wig.