Artists Protest Christie's AI Art Auction, Calling It "Mass Theft"
Thousands of artists are urging Christie’s to cancel its upcoming AI art auction, arguing that the sale supports exploitative technology that profits from human artists’ work without their consent. The online petition, which has gathered nearly 5,000 signatures, calls on the auction house to reconsider its decision to feature AI-generated art, some of which was allegedly created using models trained on copyrighted material.
The auction, scheduled to run from February 20th to March 5th, is the first of its kind from a major auction house, with over 20 AI-assisted works up for sale. Christie’s expects the event to generate over $600,000, with individual pieces priced between $10,000 and $250,000. The collection includes digital works, NFTs, lightboxes, sculptures, and prints.
The primary concern among critics is that some AI models used in the creation of these pieces were trained on copyrighted work without artists' permission. The petition states, “These models, and the companies behind them, exploit human artists, using their work without permission or payment to build commercial AI products that compete with them.” It also accuses Christie’s of legitimizing these practices by selling the AI-generated works for large sums of money.
Ed Newton-Rex, founder of Fairly Trained, a non-profit advocating for ethical AI training practices, has been vocal about his opposition. “I don't blame artists for using AI products that are available on the market, but I question why Christie's would implicitly condone these models by selling these works for tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, when the exploitative technology behind them is impoverishing so many artists desperately trying to make a living,” he told Sky News.
While many artists are protesting the sale, some within the AI art community disagree with the backlash. Mat Dryhurst, an artist featured in the auction, criticized efforts to pressure Christie’s into canceling the event. “It is not illegal to use any model to create artwork. I resent that an important debate that should be focused on companies and state policy is being focused on artists grappling with the technology of our time,” he told Sky News.
Christie’s has defended the auction, stating that it aims to showcase the evolving relationship between AI and fine art. A spokesperson for the auction house said, “The artists represented in this sale all have strong, existing multidisciplinary art practices, some recognized in leading museum collections. The works in this auction are using artificial intelligence to enhance their bodies of work.”
Controversy highlights impact of AI
This controversy comes amid broader debates over AI’s impact on the creative industry. Several lawsuits have already been filed against AI companies, with artists accusing them of using copyrighted material without authorization to train generative models. AI firms, however, argue that their practices fall under “fair use,” a legal doctrine allowing limited use of copyrighted material without permission.
In response to these concerns, the U.S. Copyright Office recently ruled that while artists can copyright works created with AI assistance, “purely AI-generated material” remains ineligible for copyright protection. This decision highlights the legal uncertainties surrounding AI-generated art and its place in the market.
With AI technology advancing rapidly, the debate over its role in art is unlikely to be settled soon. Whether Christie’s will reconsider its auction remains to be seen, but the strong backlash suggests that the art world is far from ready to embrace AI-generated work without addressing the ethical concerns surrounding its creation.
