Another Friday morning, another hangover, another story about rich people trying to convince themselves they understand both art and technology. Christie’s, that fancy auction house where billionaires go to launder their reputations, is holding their first AI art auction. They’re calling it “Augmented Intelligence” because apparently “Computer Goes Brrr” didn’t test well with their focus groups.
Let me take a sip of bourbon and break this down for you.
You know what’s funny about this whole thing? These collectors who wouldn’t know a neural network from a fishing net are suddenly experts in computational art. They’re the same folks who probably think debugging means removing insects from their summer homes.
But here’s where it gets interesting - and trust me, I needed another drink just to process this - some of these artists are actually doing something worthwhile. Take Holly Herndon, for instance. Instead of just feeding a bunch of stolen art into an AI and calling it a day, she’s out there recording actual human choirs, diving into medieval music, and creating something that doesn’t make me want to throw my laptop out the window.
Then there’s this guy Harold Cohen, who started programming robots to draw back in the 70s, when most people thought computers were just fancy calculators. That’s the kind of dedication that deserves respect. Hell, he was teaching machines to draw while I was still learning how to hold my liquor.
The real kicker though? These artists aren’t just pushing buttons on some pre-made AI tool they downloaded from the internet. They’re building their own systems, crafting their own algorithms, basically telling the machines, “Dance, but dance to my tune.” It’s like they’re the bartenders of technology, mixing their own unique cocktails instead of just pouring whatever swill comes out of the tap.
Take Sougwen Chung - she’s got robots watching her paint, learning her moves like some kind of mechanical art student. It’s weird, it’s complex, and it’s exactly the kind of thing that makes me question whether I should have another drink or just sit back and appreciate the absurdity of it all.
But let’s get to the meat of this sandwich: value. Christie’s is asking the big question: what makes AI art valuable? Well, I’ll tell you what doesn’t - cranking out endless variations of “robot dreams in the style of Van Gogh” while sitting in your pajamas. The real value comes from artists who are elbow-deep in the machinery, who understand both the poetry and the programming.
Here’s the truth, and believe me, it hurts more than my current headache: most people jumping on the AI art bandwagon are like tourists in a foreign country who only eat at McDonald’s. They’re not exploring the territory; they’re just taking the easy way out.
The ethical stuff is where it really gets messy. Companies are training their AI on artists’ work without so much as a “thank you” or a dollar bill in return. It’s like someone stealing your bourbon recipe and selling it as their own. Reuters just won a case about this very thing, which is like watching the small-town drunk finally win against the city slicker in a bar fight.
What’s the solution? Well, besides another drink (which is always a solution in my book), it’s about doing the hard work. Artists need to build their own tools, gather their own data, and stop relying on the big tech companies’ hand-me-downs. It’s like brewing your own moonshine instead of buying mass-produced garbage - sure, it’s more work, but at least you know what’s in it.
The bottom line? AI art isn’t going away, but neither is human creativity. The best stuff happens when artists treat AI like a weird collaborative partner instead of a replacement for their own brain cells. And maybe, just maybe, that’s worth something at auction.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, my bourbon is getting warm and these thoughts about the intersection of art and technology are making my head hurt worse than usual.
Signing off from the bottom of this bottle, Henry Chinaski
P.S. If any Christie’s executives are reading this, I accept payment in single malt scotch.
Source: Christie’s AI-Themed Art Auction: How Do We Know What Holds Value?