# Painting made by AI sells for $432k

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-made-by-ai-sells-for-432k/823517>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [October 25, 2018, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-made-by-ai-sells-for-432k/823517 "2018-10-25T21:17:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-made-by-ai-sells-for-432k/823517/1 "2018-10-25T21:17:43Z")

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should have shredded it to make more cash

> **[AI-made portrait sells at Christie's auction for $432,500](https://www.cnet.com/science/ai-made-portrait-sells-at-christies-auction-for-432500/?ftag=COS-05-10aaa0b&linkId=58728193)**
>
> A Picasso went for the same price.

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**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-made-by-ai-sells-for-432k/823517/2 "2018-10-25T21:26:53Z")

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Why is that particular painting considered valuable? For a few years now AI-art has solved problems like “paint three kittens and a chamberpot in the style of Jean-Michel Basquiat” on demand. AI music, too.

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**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-made-by-ai-sells-for-432k/823517/3 "2018-10-25T21:41:58Z")

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ETA [this article](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/22/arts/design/christies-art-artificial-intelligence-obvious.html) explains (briefly) that ‘the biggest difference between the Obvious portrait and their predecessors’ is the fact that Obvious had theirs printed on canvas and “signed” in the bottom right corner with a mathematical function used to produce it. They also had it extravagantly framed.’ Real artists who work in this field seem bemused by the auction.

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**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-made-by-ai-sells-for-432k/823517/4 "2018-10-25T21:42:41Z")

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maybe the buyer took the red pill?

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**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-made-by-ai-sells-for-432k/823517/5 "2018-10-25T22:55:59Z")

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> [@DPRK](#):
>
> Why is that particular painting considered valuable?

Because of NS (Natural Stupidity.)

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**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-made-by-ai-sells-for-432k/823517/6 "2018-10-25T23:24:13Z")

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I assume it’s valuable simply because it’s – if the marketing is to be believed – the first AI painting to be sold at auction. I mean, it’s got notoriety now, I suppose. Whether it will hold and remain valuable for this reason alone will remain to be seen.