Augmented Intelligence. Scheduled from February 20 to March 5 in New York, the event features about twenty lots from artists who blend technology with artistic creation. However, it has far from universal support!
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Widespread Backlash Against Christie’s
While this initiative marks a first in the history of art and AI, it has also sparked significant opposition. The day after the announcement, an open letter to Christie’s garnered over 4,800 signatures, calling for the cancellation of the event. The signatories criticize the behavior of AI models, which they claim were trained on copyright-protected works without consent or compensation to the original artists.
These models, and the companies that operate them, are using artists’ work without permission to develop commercial AI products that directly compete with them
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The rise of generative AIs like DALL·E, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion has already stirred up numerous controversies in the artistic world. Indeed, some artists accuse these tools of mimicking—or even copying—their styles without any acknowledgement, remuneration, or licensing rights.
Christie’s Defends Its Approach
In response to the controversy, Christie’s has spoken out to defend its initiative. According to a spokesperson from the auction house, the presented works were created with AIs as an integral part of the artists’ creative process, not merely as products of generative algorithms. In most cases, AI is used in a controlled manner, with data formed from the work of the participating artists
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The situation raises the ongoing question of the legitimacy of AI in the artistic process. Is artificial intelligence merely a tool at the disposal of artists—like a brush or a pencil—or is it an unfair competitor threatening their livelihood? With this auction, Christie’s is navigating tricky waters, and the controversy could well redefine the future of digital art.