In 2018, Christie’s shocked the world by selling the world’s first fully AI-produced artwork. The work was entitled Portrait of Edmond de Belamy 2018 and sold for $432,500 USD, as opposed to the $10,000 USD it was expected to go for. The breakthrough was led by Hugo Caselles-Dupré, Pierre Fautrel, and Gauthier Vernier — who make up the collective Obvious Art.
Ben Kovalis, Eyal Fisher and Guy Haimovitz are three of the many people who took inspiration from the work Obvious had created. Upon creating Art AI Gallery in 2019, the group have just launched a new tech-meets-art venture, called Artifly. The name derives from “Art on the Fly” and allows users to choose a selection of artwork that fit their style, then an advanced algorithm will muster up a personal artwork within minutes that is available for purchase. Unlike some of the exorbitant prices fetched for NFTs, Artifly’s custom artwork is fairly inexpensive, with rates as low as $29 USD for an unframed canvas.
Naturally, many are fearful that robots will now take over the role of artist, but rest assured, in an interview with ARTnews, Kovalis states, “we don’t think that it is possible to replace artists. This is simply something that enhances art and there is a lot of “sweat, and tears and human involvement to make an AI algorithm that creates something beautiful.”
Not a believer? Try the algorithm out for yourself and see what sort of magic it comes up with.
Elsewhere in art and tech, Cryptopunk prices see a 53% increase this past weekend.
