DUBAI: Art from Sophia the robot, who was granted Saudi citizenship in 2017, is to be auctioned.
A digital artwork by the Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics humanoid, in the form of a Non-Fungible Token (NFT), is to be auctioned in the first sale of such pieces created jointly with artificial intelligence (AI), Reuters reported.
NFTs, a digital signature saved on blockchain ledgers that allows anyone to verify the ownership and authenticity of items, have become the latest investment craze, with one artwork selling this month for nearly $70 million.
“I hope the people like my work, and the humans and I can collaborate in new and exciting ways going forward,” Sophia said in her studio, speaking in a flat voice.
She wore a silver-colored dress and held a pen.
Sophia starred at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh in 2017, had an amusing exchange with the host and gave a presentation that demonstrated her capacity for human expression.
She made global headlines when she was granted Saudi citizenship, making the Kingdom the first country in the world to offer its citizenship to a robot.
Sophia produced her art in collaboration with 31-year-old Italian digital artist Andrea Bonaceto, known for colorful portraits, some of which depict famous people, such as Tesla’s chief executive, Elon Musk.
Sophia’s art could be “a very, very important historical piece,” Pablo Fraile, an art collector based in Miami told Reuters.
