Over the past few years, artificial intelligence (AI) has made its mark on a wide range of fields, including visual art. It has succeeded in transforming this field, opening up new perspectives for artists, collectors and cultural institutions. In this article, we’ll explore how AI is helping to revolutionize the world of visual art.
Art creation with the help of AI
AI-based tools offer artists an infinite source of creativity. Several algorithms now make it possible to create original works of art, combining different techniques and styles. For example, the use of convolutional neural networks (CNN) and generative adversarial networks (GAN) has led to the creation of digital paintings that resemble traditional works of art.
Style transfer and DeepArt
Style transfer is one of the most popular applications of AI in art creation. Platforms such as DeepArt allow users to merge two images to create a new work of art. The algorithm analyzes the stylistic characteristics of one image and applies them to another, while preserving the latter’s content. This technique offers infinite creative possibilities, blending the styles of different artists and eras.
IA and image generation
AI can also generate images from scratch. GANs, for example, are capable of creating portraits, landscapes or objects based on thousands of existing examples. These algorithms learn to reproduce the visual characteristics of the training images and then generate new works. This process enables artists to explore new creative horizons, combining their own sensibilities with the capabilities of AI.
Art sales created by AI
Beyond artistic creation, AI also has an impact on the art market. Indeed, works of art created by AI are attracting growing interest from collectors and cultural institutions. Several auctions have already been held for pieces created by algorithms, testifying to the emergence of a new segment in the art market.
The successful sale of the Edmond de Belamy portrait
In 2018, auction house Christie\’s sold a portrait created by an algorithm designed by French collective Obvious. The Edmond de Belamy portrait, depicting a fictitious man, sold for $432,500, around 60 times its initial estimate. This event marked a turning point in the recognition of AI as a new form of artistic expression.
Sales of digital works and non-fungible tokens (NFT)
The rise of blockchain technologies and non-fungible tokens (NFT) is also opening up new opportunities for AI-created artworks. These can be tokenized as NFTs, guaranteeing their authenticity and rarity. Several platforms dedicated to digital art sales have emerged, testifying to the growing interest in these new forms of artistic expression.
Analyzing and predicting the art market with AI
Finally, AI is also used to analyze and predict art market trends. Thanks to machine learning and natural language processing, algorithms are able to study historical art sales data and determine the factors influencing their prices.
Estimating the value of works of art
AI algorithms can help experts estimate the value of a work of art, taking into account elements such as style, period, provenance or state of conservation. This application of AI could revolutionize the art appraiser’s profession, making estimates more precise and less subjective.
Prediction of artistic trends
AI also offers the possibility of mapping artistic trends over time and anticipating their evolution. By analyzing art market data, algorithms can detect emerging movements and predict which artists or styles will be popular in the future. This type of tool can be useful for collectors, gallerists and cultural institutions wishing to adapt their acquisitions to market trends.
Tentative conclusion
In conclusion, artificial intelligence is profoundly transforming the world of visual art, offering new perspectives for artistic creation, the art market and trend analysis. AI is now establishing itself as a key player in this field, and it will be interesting to see how it continues to shape visual art in the years to come.
