Greater than 3,000 artists have known as for Christie’s to cancel its first-ever AI artwork public sale, calling it “mass theft” of human artists’ work.
The petition urges the New York public sale home to name off the occasion – the place items vary from $10,000 to $250,000 (£8,000 to £202,000) – citing “serious concern” over exploitation of artists.
“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.”
Picture:
AI-generated paintings, painted by British artists. Pic: KEKE, Courtesy of Fellowship
The petition, directed at Christie’s, reads: “Your help of those fashions, and the individuals who use them, rewards and additional incentivises AI corporations’ mass theft of human artists’ work.
“We ask that, if you have any respect for human artists, you cancel the auction.”
Picture:
AI picture that includes in Christie’s upcoming AI public sale. Pic: Christie’s Photographs LTD. 2025
Christie’s stated the works within the public sale used AI to “enhance” the artwork.
Considerations ‘fully justified’
He stated: “It looks like around nine of the works in the auction were made using AI models that companies built using other artists’ work without permission.
“I do not blame artists for utilizing AI merchandise which might be out there in the marketplace, however I query why Christie’s would implicitly condone these fashions by promoting these works for tens or a whole lot of 1000’s of {dollars}, when the exploitative expertise behind them is impoverishing so many artists desperately attempting to make a residing.”
Picture:
Pic: Christie’s Photographs LTD. 2025
‘Bullying’ artists
The AI-dedicated occasion, working from 20 February to five March, consists of work by Refik Anadol, Claire Silver, Sasha Stiles and others.
He stated he “does not find attempts to bully artists in the least bit acceptable”.
He added: “It is not illegal to use any model to create artwork.
“I resent that an essential debate that needs to be centered on corporations and state coverage is being centered on artists grappling with the expertise of our time.”
“The works in this auction are using artificial intelligence to enhance their bodies of work.”
