Since AI became legal to use, some artists have been using it to create AI-generated art. For instance, the fray reached a new peak when Christie's, one of the world's top auction houses, held its first-ever AI-specialized sale.
Although the sale made history, it also sparked a fiery backlash from artists who argue that AI art takes their work without permission or pay.
Christie's AI Auction Draws Major Backlash
In February, over 5,600 artists signed an open letter calling on Christie's to cancel the sale. According to CNET, the letter, which rapidly went viral, accused AI art models of being trained on copyrighted material without a license.
"Many of the artworks you plan to auction were created using AI models that are known to be trained on copyrighted work without a license," the open letter reads.
The letter also indicated that companies took advantage of AI to exploit the talents of real human artists. In this case, their artwork is used without any permission or pay
The letter also condemned Christie's for promoting AI-generated art, stating that it is a reward for corporations that are guilty of mass copyright infringement.
Signatories to the protest were illustrators, authors, cinematographers, and other artists from all over the globe, all in agreement on their fear of the future of art created by human beings.
Christie's Defends AI-Generated Art
Still, the outcry did not deter Christie's from proceeding with the auction. In a statement, the auction house's representative defended AI-generated art, contending that artistic progress has long consisted of borrowing from what has come before.
According to a Christie's representative, there are two things true in the art market. The first one is that artists draw from what preceded them and the second one is that art does provoke controversy, discussion, and debate.
The spokesperson also pointed out that the dialogue surrounding the digital artwork is not new anymore, including those created with the help of AI.
Christie's added AI art is a natural evolution of past artistic trends, noting Pop Art as an example of a once-besmirched genre now embraced by the mainstream.
Record-breaking Sales and Generational Shift
Despite the protests, the AI auction, named Augmented Intelligence, was a commercial success. Hundreds of bids were received in over 30 lots during the event, which eventually resulted in total sales of $728,784.
Interestingly, 37% of Christie's registrants were new to the company, and nearly half of all the bidders were Millennials or Gen Z, indicating a generational change in art buying.
Among the top sellers was Refik Anadol's artwork, Machine Hallucinations — ISS Dreams — A, which sold for $277,200. The artwork employed a dataset of more than 1.2 million images taken by the International Space Station and satellites, demonstrating how AI can translate huge volumes of data into art that is pleasing to the eyes.
Another celebrity piece was Holly Herndon and Mat Dryhurst's Embedding Study 1 & 2, selling for $94,500. The AI-painted piece was inspired by manipulated versions of Herndon herself and had earlier been included in the 2024 Whitney Biennial.
A Divided Future for AI and Art
The argument around AI art has only just begun. While a few believe AI is a creative revolution, some view it as a direct competitor to conventional artists. As development in AI occurs, questions revolving around copyright, ownership, and artistic integrity are only going to become more severe.
In the meantime, check the best AI image generators you can use besides DALL-E.
