Did the art market embrace AI this year? Actually, did you even?
Because for all its ubiquity in the ‘discourse,’ aside from the (annoying) new AI summaries on Google search results, I don’t feel like I notice Artificial Intelligence in day-to-day life all that much. And I’ve only sporadically used it. (But I know talking to people who teach students or who hire for job roles, it very much is making itself known!)
I think part of the issue is that there’s a lot of noise around AI. It’s hard to distinguish between the reality, and the hype. This is especially true in the art world. Is AI going to be a genuine game-changer, or is it overblown by well-paid PR professionals?
This is where journalist Jo Lawson-Tancred comes in. Her new book — AI and the Art Market — aims to demystify AI’s relationship to art, and to offer a measured view of the current landscape. It’s the first book to offer an approachable introduction to AI for art-market professionals, and it hopes to better equip them with info on how to work with AI in an art-world context. Because again, despite the fanfare, we are all relative novices.
So as we move into a new year, I’ve spoken to Jo — who is also a reporter for Artnet News — to get the cold, hard facts on the cold, hard realities of AI in art.
(And note, AI has been used to create images for this piece — ten points for anyone that guesses what the prompts were!)
Hi Jo. Let's get straight into it. AI: friend or foe?
Friend… cautiously! While my book ultimately makes a case for AI, it does not shy from delving into the technology’s weaknesses since rampant techno-optimism isn’t remotely useful in my opinion.
I feel fortunate that, as a journalist, I can take the relatively neutral stance of a spectator, observing developments and the debates they inspire. I’m interested in the wider landscape and of course any headline-grabbing controversies are exciting to cover and get clicks.
How much is AI currently used in the art world?
Everyday, general-purpose tools like ChatGPT have had a very wide pick-up, as in many other industries. My interest is predominantly in more art-specific tools like AI for authentication or for valuation and in these cases its use is only emerging in small pockets at the very fringes of the mainstream art world.
This is not surprising since the traditional art world has always been quite slow adapting to technological innovations, which must win our trust before they can become widespread. However, just last month Germann Auctions in Zurich became the first auction house to use AI authentication, provided by the start-up Art Recognition, to back three of its lots. They all managed to find a buyer.
So why does it remain only on the “fringes”? What keeps the art world hesitant?
Well, in the case of AI for authentication, the technology has had some pretty bad press! The best example is probably the “battle of the AIs” last year, when two different AI models came to opposing conclusions about whether the same painting could possibly be by Raphael. This stand-off exposed the fact that AI can easily come up with outputs that are complete nonsense if they aren’t trained from a suitably diverse, high quality and well-labelled dataset that is put together with the guidance of an expert in that artist’s oeuvre. We can’t just hand this work over to AI developers who don’t understand the data.
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But, as you say, one area where you think AI can have a real positive application is in authentication of artworks. Tell us more about that.
Human expertise is still paramount when it comes to providing the broader art historical context that helps determine an artwork’s authorship.
However, AI has talents we don’t, including ‘pattern recognition,’ the ability to spot even very subtle patterns shared by a group of paintings, perhaps indicating that they are by the same hand. They can do this because the size of their memories is so big — it’s as though they are seeing millions of images at the same time. By harnessing this power to complement our own strengths, we could surely build a more robust approach to authentication.
And is resistance futile — is it going to become a major part of the market come what may?
My instinct is yes, AI will inevitably become a bigger part of our practices. There will probably be tools we take for granted in a decade or two that we don’t see coming now, so it will be exciting to see what’s next.
That said, many apparently new AI developments are just the natural next stage of previous technological changes, like how AI valuation of art is emerging from online price databases, which have been around since the 1980s. It’s impossible to predict the future so I’ve tried to centre my book more on the outcomes AI developers say they hope to see.
Will artworks made by AI ever become sought after by collectors?
I think so..! After all, many artists like to experiment with new mediums so we will probably see established artists with existing collector bases start using AI.
As for more straightforward “AI artists,” I would love to see them receive more market support. The recent sale of a painting by the AI robot Ai-Da at Sotheby’s for over $1 million was a step backwards in my opinion.
The work is not a legitimate artistic endeavour but a gimmicky science project that reinforces negative stereotypes about AI art, like that it lacks real creative intention. It stole attention from more persuasive projects spearheaded by actual artists, like Sougwen Chung’s paintings made in collaboration with robot D.O.UG.
And where do museums fit into all this?
Museums are crucial sources of support for artists whose work with AI is too challenging to entice much market interest. It’s great to see a museum like the V&A — with the launch of its Photography Centre last year — showcase and eventually acquire a work like Jakes Elwes’ engaging The Zizi Show, a deepfake drag cabaret exploring ethical problems with the biased training of AI.
The artist told me they rely on institutional support for most of their income. Museums are also leading the way in providing a historical context for digital art with shows like Electric Dreams, now on at Tate Modern, and in the complex task of conserving fragile new media artworks for future generations.
As we approach the new year, what are your predictions for AI and the art world in 2025. What developments do you think we'll see?
I hope to see more normalisation of AI as a medium for artists of all kinds to integrate into their practices, should they wish, rather than “AI art” being treated as a separate category principally composed of low quality AI-generated pastiche. This encourages us to see AI as a threat to artists, rather than something they should be encouraged to explore for the benefit of society.
As for business practices, in a case like that of AI authentication, where there’s a concerted effort by a dedicated few to legitimise this technology in the eyes of mainstream art-market players, I think we should see slow progress in adoption, with maybe a few more mid-tier auction houses or galleries piloting the available tools.
You're also European News Reporter for Artnet News. What news story shocked you the most in the past year?
Good question… One story that comes to mind is when a vandal smashed a large porcelain work by Ai Weiwei at the opening of his show at Palazzo Fava in Bologna in September. Sadly, the artist told me the work had taken over a year to make using traditional methods as well as a lot of experimentation to achieve its unique structure. He decided not to replace it. The incident really exposed the risks involved in making artworks like these public.
And what's the story you're keeping the keenest eye on in 2025?
I’m keen to see what direction will be taken by Koyo Kouoh, the Venice Biennale’s newly appointed curator for its 61st edition in 2026. After Giorgia Meloni’s government installed right-wing journalist Pietrangelo Buttafuoco as president of the Biennale, I worried this may influence the event’s politics. The appointment of Kouoh, the first African woman in the role, is a positive indication to the contrary, but it will be interesting to learn more about her chosen themes for the main exhibition, which will be announced next year.
AI and the Art Market by Jo Lawson-Tancred and published by Lund Humphries, is available now. Buy your copy here from Bookshop.org and financially support both independent bookshops and this website.