Thousands of artists demand that Christie’s cancel its upcoming AI-generated art auction, arguing that the works were created using technology trained on copyrighted material without consent. In an open letter, they accuse the auction house of enabling the exploitation of human artists, calling it an act of “mass theft.”
AI In The Spotlight At Christie’s
Christie’s has branded its Augmented Intelligence auction as the first major sale dedicated entirely to AI-generated artwork. The event, set for 20 February, features 20 pieces, with prices ranging from $10,000 to $250,000. Among the artists included are Refik Anadol and the late AI art pioneer Harold Cohen.
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However, a growing number of creatives are pushing back. The letter, signed by over 3,000 artists—including Karla Ortiz and Kelly McKernan, both of whom are suing AI companies for unauthorized use of their work—claims that many pieces in the auction were generated using AI models trained on copyrighted artworks without permission or compensation.
“You are rewarding and incentivizing AI companies that exploit human creativity,” the letter states, urging Christie’s to cancel the sale.
AI And Copyright: A Legal Minefield
The broader issue of AI’s use of copyrighted content has sparked legal battles across industries. Artists, authors, publishers, and music labels have filed lawsuits, arguing that AI-generated content unfairly competes with human creators while relying on their work. AI models behind popular tools like Stable Diffusion and Midjourney are at the center of these disputes.
Ed Newton-Rex, a British composer and a leading advocate for artists’ rights, noted that at least nine pieces in the auction appear to have been created with AI models trained on existing artworks. Some works, however, do not show evidence of such training.
Defending AI Art
Christie’s has responded to the backlash, stating that in most cases, the AI tools used in the auction were trained on the artists’ inputs. “The artists featured in this sale have established multidisciplinary practices, many recognized by major museums. AI is being used to expand their creative process, often in a controlled manner,” a spokesperson said.
Some artists participating in the auction also dismissed the criticism. Mat Dryhurst, whose work with his wife Holly Herndon is listed with an estimated price of $70,000 to $90,000, defended their involvement. “We’ve been actively exploring and intervening in this space—it’s well within our rights,” he said. “This debate should focus on corporate practices and policy, not artists adapting to evolving technology.”
Refik Anadol echoed similar sentiments, calling the backlash the result of “lazy critic practices and doomsday hysteria.”
As tensions rise between creatives and AI developers, Christie’s auction is set to be a flashpoint in the ongoing battle over art, technology, and intellectual property rights.
