First artwork by humanoid robot sells for $1.3 million | ABS-CBN

ADVERTISEMENT

dpo-dps-seal
Welcome, Kapamilya! We use cookies to improve your browsing experience. Continuing to use this site means you agree to our use of cookies. Tell me more!

First artwork by humanoid robot sells for $1.3 million

First artwork by humanoid robot sells for $1.3 million

Agence France-Presse

 | 

Updated Nov 08, 2024 02:27 PM PHT

Clipboard



A portrait of English mathematician Alan Turing became the first artwork by a humanoid robot to be sold at auction, fetching $1,320,000 on Thursday.

The 2.2 metre (7.5 feet) portrait "A.I. God" by "Ai-Da", the world's first ultra-realistic robot artist, smashed pre-sale expectations of $180,000 when it went under the hammer at London auction house Sotheby's Digital Art Sale.

"Today's record-breaking sale price for the first artwork by a humanoid robot artist to go up for auction marks a moment in the history of modern and contemporary art and reflects the growing intersection between A.I. technology and the global art market," said the auction house.

Ai-Da Robot, which uses AI to speak, said: "The key value of my work is its capacity to serve as a catalyst for dialogue about emerging technologies."

ADVERTISEMENT

Ai-Da added that a "portrait of pioneer Alan Turing invites viewers to reflect on the god-like nature of AI and computing while considering the ethical and societal implications of these advancements."

The ultra-realistic robot, one of the most advanced in the world, is designed to resemble a human woman with a face, large eyes and a brown wig.

Ai-Da is named after Ada Lovelace, the world's first computer programmer and was devised by Aidan Meller, a specialist in modern and contemporary art.

"The greatest artists in history grappled with their period of time, and both celebrated and questioned society's shifts," said Meller.

"Ai-Da Robot as technology, is the perfect artist today to discuss the current developments with technology and its unfolding legacy," he added.

Ai-Da generates ideas through conversations with members of the studio, and suggested creating an image of Turing during a discussion about "A.I. for good".

The robot was then asked what style, colour, content, tone and texture to use, before using cameras in its eyes to look at a picture of Turing and create the painting.

Meller led the team that created Ai-Da with artificial intelligence specialists at the universities of Oxford and Birmingham in England.

Meller said Turing, who made his name as a World War II codebreaker, mathematician and early computer scientist, had raised concerns about the use of AI in the 1950s.

The artwork's "muted tones and broken facial planes" seemingly suggested "the struggles Turing warned we will face when it comes to managing AI", he said.

Ai-Da's works were "ethereal and haunting" and "continue to question where the power of AI will take us, and the global race to harness its power", he added.

© Agence France-Presse



ADVERTISEMENT

SC urged to compel Comelec, Miru to disclose election-related documents

SC urged to compel Comelec, Miru to disclose election-related documents

Adrian Ayalin,

ABS-CBN News

Clipboard

The Commission on Elections demonstrates the automated counting machines by Miru Systems to be used for the 2025 Midterm Elections at the ABS-CBN Broadcasting Center in Quezon City on June 19, 2024. The new system is said to be faster and has better features over the machines used in the previous elections. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — A civil society group on Thursday filed a petition for certiorari before the Supreme Court in order to compel the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and its partner Miru Systems Joint Venture to disclose documents related to the 2025 midterm elections.

Right to Know, Right Now Coalition raised the public’s constitutional right to information on matters that affect the integrity and transparency of the electoral process.

The group said their request for information from the Comelec was only partially granted while Miru’s responses were supposedly evasive, without even giving out any of the requested documents or records.

Among the group’s requests were an updated Joint Venture Agreement entered into by Miru with its local partners for the purpose of verifying if the remaining partners retain the financial, technical and operational capacity to meet their contractual obligation.

ADVERTISEMENT

Another request made by the group with the Comelec and Miru was the risk assessment, which identifies potential risks due to the withdrawal of St. Timothy Construction Corporation from the joint venture.

“The petition urges the Supreme Court to use its rulemaking power to clarify procedural uncertainties in the enforcement of the people’s right to access information of significant public interest,” the group said.

Comelec last year awarded South Korean firm Miru Systems Company Ltd. the P18.8-billion FASTrAC project for the May 2025 automated elections. 

Under the FASTrAC or Full Automation System with Transparency Audit/Count, the joint venture will supply the hardware, which includes 110,000 automated counting machines, laptops, ballot boxes and ballots, the software or the Consolidation and Canvassing System, and the Election Management System.

For more news and features on Philippine elections, visit the ABS-CBN News' Halalan 2025 page.

RELATED VIDEO



ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

It looks like you’re using an ad blocker

Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker on our website.

Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker on our website.