Study Buddy (Explorer): Ai-Da robot makes history selling artwork at auction

[2] Ai-Da is an ultra-realistic robot designed to look like a human woman. She was made by a team led by Aidan Meller. Ai-Da has cameras in her eyes and uses artificial intelligence (AI) to create drawings, paintings and sculptures. The artwork, AI God, was estimated to sell between £100,000 to £150,000 (US$126,920 to US$190,380) but surpassed its predicted selling price when it was bought for US$1.08 million last month.

[3] The large-scale portrait stands 2.2 metres tall and was created using AI algorithms. It depicts Alan Turing, the English mathematician and Second World War cryptanalyst who is regarded as the father of modern computer science. Ai-Da chose three of the 15 portraits she had made of Turing, and they were photographed and uploaded to a computer. The final image was assembled based on a discussion with Ai-Da, who used her language model to communicate.

[4] The final image was printed using a 3D textured printer. Ai-Da added marks and texture to the final canvas. Studio assistants also added texture to the artwork, as Ai-Da’s robotic painting arm could not reach the edges of the large canvas.

[5] Ai-Da said: “AI God, a portrait of pioneer Alan Turing, invites viewers to reflect on the godlike nature of AI and computing while considering these advancements’ ethical and societal implications. Alan Turing recognised this potential and stares at us as we race towards this future.”

[6] Meller, the director of Ai-Da Robot Studios, added: “This auction is an important moment for the visual arts. Ai-Da’s artwork brings attention to the art world and societal changes as we grapple with the rising age of AI. The artwork AI God raises questions about agency as AI gains more power.”

[7] In 2022, Ai-Da painted portraits of that year’s Glastonbury Festival headliner acts Billie Eilish, Diana Ross, Kendrick Lamar and Paul McCartney. The robot painted a portrait of the British Queen ahead of the platinum jubilee the same year. It became the first AI-powered robot to give evidence to a parliamentary committee, discussing the impact of technology on creative industries.

Source: dpa, November 8

1. According to paragraph 1, Ai-Da is named after …
A. the first computer programmer.
B. the first humanoid robotic artist.
C. the first humanoid robot.
D. the creator of the first humanoid robot.

2. Decide whether the following statements about paragraphs 2 and 3 are True, False or the information is Not Given. Fill in ONE circle only for each statement. (4 marks)
(i) The portrait measures one metre wide.
(ii) Ai-Da can also create sculptures.
(iii) Aidan Meller did not expect the portrait to sell for US$1.08 million.
(iv) Ai-Da chose 15 portraits of Turing to be included in the final artwork.

3. Why did the team choose to paint Alan Turing, according to paragraph 3?

4. Find a word in paragraph 3 that means “put different parts together”.

5. Based on paragraph 4, what technology was used to create the final image?

6. In paragraph 4, why did studio assistants help Ai-Da with the artwork?

7. According to paragraph 5, Ai-Da hopes the portrait will make people think about …
A. the role of AI in art.
B. the challenges of being a robot artist.
C. the power of AI and its impact on society.
D. the history of AI.

8. Which of the following people has Ai-Da painted, according to paragraph 7?
A. Billie Eilish
B. Diana Ross
C. the British Queen
D. all of the above

9. What was the topic of the parliamentary committee mentioned in paragraph 7?

Answers

1. A
2. (i) NG; (ii) T; (iii) T; (iv) F
3. because Alan Turing is regarded as the father of modern computer science
4. assembled
5. a 3D textured printer
6. because her robotic painting arm cannot reach the edges of the large-scale canvas
7. C
8. D
9. the impact of technology on creative industries