Robot artist Ai-Da to make history as portrait of Alan Turing goes under hammer

Ai-Da Robot is poised to make history by becoming the first humanoid robot artist to have her work auctioned by a leading auction house.

The creation of Aiden Meller's team, Ai-Da is an ultra-realistic humanoid designed to mimic a human female and employs artificial intelligence (AI) to create drawings, paintings, and sculptures. Her painting of Alan often celebrated as the father of computer science, is expected to fetch between £100,000 and £150,000 at Sotheby’s digital art sale this October.

READ MORE:

Entitled AI God, the 7.5-foot-tall portrait was crafted using AI algorithms, while the robot artist herself has cameras for eyes and bionic hands for creating her art. The Turing painting had its initial exhibition at the United Nations back in May 2024 as part of a five-panel polyptych.

Sotheby’s forthcoming sale will explore the fusion of art and , showcasing a spectrum of digital art styles that mirror different currents within the digital art today. Additionally, the event will honour trailblazing women artists whose work has been instrumental in the progression of digital art, according to the auction house.

The language-savvy Ai-Da Robot, who converses via an advanced AI system, said: "Through my artwork of Alan Turing, I commemorate his achievements and contributions to the development of computing and AI. My artwork aligns with the United Nations ethos that AI is used responsibly – something Alan Turing also advocated."

Mr Meller, director of the Ai-Da Robot studio, said: "In the 1950s, Alan Turing raised concerns over the use of AI. Ai-Da’s portrait hauntingly evokes Alan Turing, using muted tones and broken facial planes, and a background with shadowy forms of the Bombe machine."

"The artwork seemingly suggests the struggles Turing warned we will face when it comes to managing AI. Both ethereal and haunting, Ai-Da Robot’s artworks continue to question where the power of AI will take us, and the global race to harness its power."

In 2022, Ai-Da painted portraits of Glastonbury Festival headliners Billie Eilish, Diana Ross, Kendrick Lamar, and Sir Paul McCartney. That same year, the robot also created a portrait of the Queen in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee and made history as the first AI-powered robot to present evidence to a parliamentary committee on the impact of technology in creative industries.

Sotheby’s Digital Art Sale is set to take place from October 31 to November 7.