Obvious Art
Edmond de Belamy, from La Famille de Belamy
2018

Three French students tweaked a GAN (generative adversarial network) algorithm derived from open source to produce an array of images. Then inkjet-printed to canvas and auctioned off one for $432,500 to an anonymous buyer. I mean—talk about turning water to wine—Jesus. The story behind this piece is all over the place.

left: the "AI generated" portrait Christie's is auctioning off right now

right: outputs from a neural network I trained and put online *over a year ago*.

Does anyone else care about this? Am I crazy for thinking that they really just used my network and are selling the results? pic.twitter.com/wAdSOe7gwz

— Robbie Barrat (@videodrome) October 25, 2018

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• Christie’s: Lot 363
• The Verge: How three French students used borrowed code to put the first AI portrait in Christie’s
• NY Times: Up for Bid, AI Art Signed ‘Algorithm’
• Obvious Art