Thousands of Artists Urge Christie’s to Cancel AI Art Auction

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Thousands of artists are calling on Christie’s to cancel its upcoming “Augmented Intelligence” auction, which features artwork created using artificial intelligence. The open letter, signed by nearly 4,000 artists, demands the auction house scrap the sale, set to run from February 20 to March 5.

The signatories, including artists Kelly McKernan and Karla Ortiz—who are also involved in lawsuits against AI companies for allegedly using copyrighted works without permission—argue that AI models exploit human creativity.

“Many of the artworks you plan to auction were created using AI models trained on copyrighted work without a license,” the letter states. “These models, and the companies behind them, exploit human artists, using their work without permission or payment.”

The auction consists of 20 lots spanning five decades and includes both digital and physical works, such as NFTs, sculptures, paintings, and light boxes. Featured artists include Refik Anadol, Harold Cohen, Pindar Van Arman, and Holly Herndon. Estimates range from $15,000 to $250,000, with Christie’s expecting at least $600,000 in total sales.

In response, Christie’s defended the auction, stating that the artists involved have established multidisciplinary practices, some with works in major museum collections. Nicole Sales Giles, Christie’s vice president and director of digital art sales, emphasized that AI is not replacing human creativity but rather enhancing it.

One of the auction’s standout pieces is a 12-foot-tall robot by Matr Labs, guided by artist Alexander Reben’s AI model, which will paint live during the sale whenever a bid is placed.

Despite Christie’s position, artists continue to push back, arguing that the sale legitimizes AI models built on mass exploitation. Their demand remains clear: cancel the auction out of respect for human artists.