In a bold move that sparked widespread controversy, renowned auction house Christie’s proceeded with its inaugural AI-exclusive art exhibition, despite strong opposition from the artistic community. Nearly 6,500 artists signed an open letter demanding the event’s cancellation, arguing that AI-generated artwork exploits human creators. Nevertheless, the exhibition, titled Augmented Intelligence, went forward—and not only that, it surpassed all expectations.
Christie’s reported that the show generated over $700,000 in sales, with many pieces selling above their projected estimates. The highest-grossing artwork was Machine Hallucinations — ISS Dreams — A by Refik Anadol, a mesmerizing, data-driven creation that reinterprets information from the International Space Station and satellites. It fetched an impressive $277,200.
Nicole Sales Giles, Vice President and Director of Digital Art Sales at Christie’s, expressed enthusiasm about the results, telling Artnet that the event’s success validated the idea that collectors are eager to embrace artists who push the limits of creative expression.
However, many artists vehemently disagree.
In their collective letter, critics condemned Christie’s for showcasing AI-generated works that, in their view, were produced using models trained on copyrighted content without consent. They argue that this practice enables AI to replicate and commercialize artistic styles without proper attribution or compensation, effectively undermining human artists.
Despite the backlash, the success of Augmented Intelligence signals that AI art is becoming an undeniable force in the art market—one that continues to challenge traditional notions of creativity and authorship.