[An AI robot. Credit to Pixabay]

An AI robot created a painting of Alan Turing, the renowned British computer scientist and codebreaker which sold for $1.08 million at auction, making it the most valuable artwork ever sold by a humanoid robot.

This sale has reignited discussions regarding the implications of artificial intelligence in the field of art.

The final sale price significantly far exceeded the pre-auction estimate of $120,000 to $180,000, with the artwork receiving 27 bids before being purchased by an undisclosed buyer. 

Sotheby’s, which conducted the auction in New York, confirmed the record-breaking sale.

The artwork, titled "AI God: Portrait of Alan Turing," was produced by Ai-Da, a humanoid robot artist characterized by her black bob hairstyle and robotic arms. 

Ai-Da, developed by British gallerist Aidan Meller, incorporates advanced language models for communication.

Turing's contributions laid the foundation for early computer development and played a crucial role in assisting the Allies in deciphering German communications during World War II. 

His innovations not only advanced computing technology but also had a profound impact on wartime intelligence efforts.

Eight decades after Turing envisioned the advent of computers and AI, Meller expresses hope that Ai-Da and her creations can serve as a reflection of humanity's future direction. 

Meller believes these artworks can illuminate humanity’s path forward in the ever-evolving technological landscape.

The remarkable amount that Ai-Da's artwork sold for at auction signifies a shift in how AI-generated art is perceived and valued within the art market, a transformation that Meller compares to the advent of the camera. 

This sale marks an increasing recognition of AI's role in contemporary artistic expression.

Not everyone views this as a significant milestone. 

One critic dismissed the sale as a highly sophisticated, elaborately presented version of those occasional stories about farm animals purportedly capable of painting like Pablo Picasso.

Prior to creating its artworks, Ai-Da engages in discussions with its creators about the subjects it wishes to paint. 

For this piece, Ai-Da conversed with Meller about the theme of "A.I. for good," which prompted Ai-Da to identify Alan Turing as a significant figure in A.I. history that she wanted to depict.

After deliberating on the painting's style, content, tone, and texture, Ai-Da utilized its eye-mounted cameras to examine a photograph of Turing and generate initial sketches. 

The robot then created 15 unique individual paintings of Turing's face, with each piece varying based on the algorithm's interpretation of the original image.

Each painting required Ai-Da approximately six to eight hours to complete, after which it was consulted on how to assemble them. 

Ultimately, Ai-Da selected three portraits, along with a depiction of Turing's Bombe Machine, which is featured in the background.

Due to the limitations of Ai-Da's arm, which can only paint on a small canvas measuring 11.7 x 16.5 inches, the final image was printed onto a larger canvas using a 3D textured printer. 

Sotheby’s confirmed that this process does not alter the original image in any way.

The portrait "AI God," featuring pioneering figure Alan Turing, encourages viewers to contemplate the divine-like qualities of AI and computing while reflecting on the ethical and societal implications of these advancements. 

Turing, who foresaw this potential, gazes outward at humanity as it moves rapidly into this technologically driven future.