Christie’s AI-Dedicated Auction Exceeds Expectations
REFIK ANADOL (B. 1985) Machine Hallucinations - ISS Dreams
NEW YORK — In a groundbreaking event that marks a pivotal moment in the intersection of art and technology, Christie’s held its inaugural artificial intelligence-focused auction, “Augmented Intelligence,” on the morning of March 5, 2025. Featuring more than 30 lots by renowned digital artists, the sale exceeded all expectations, totaling a remarkable $728,784, well above its original estimate.
The auction, which garnered hundreds of bids, attracted a fresh and diverse audience, with 37% of registrants being completely new to Christie’s and nearly half of the bidders, 48%, hailing from Millennial and Gen Z generations. The inclusion of digital art created with artificial intelligence served to highlight the growing influence of technology on the artistic landscape, offering a new avenue for collectors and enthusiasts alike to engage with cutting-edge creative practices.
The auction’s top lot, Machine Hallucinations - ISS Dreams – A by Refik Anadol, sold for $277,200, surpassing its high estimate. This dynamic work, created using over 1.2 million images from the International Space Station, explores AI's reimagining of cartographic aesthetics.
Embedding Study 1 & 2 by Holly Herndon & Mat Dryhurst
Another standout, Embedding Study 1 & 2 by Holly Herndon & Mat Dryhurst, sold for $94,500, also exceeding expectations. This piece, which explores AI’s influence on identity and representation, emerged from a text-to-image model trained on manipulated images of Herndon herself, exaggerating her facial features to interrogate how identity is constructed and represented.
Nicole Sales Giles, VP of Digital Art Sales at Christie’s, shared her excitement about the results: “The overwhelming public support for this auction has been truly inspiring. It’s a privilege to use Christie’s platform to highlight the artists shaping the future of creativity.”
The success of Augmented Intelligence demonstrates the growing significance of AI in the art world, engaging new collectors and sparking important conversations about the intersection of technology and creativity.
