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EntertainmentAI Desk•4 views

AI Artist Botto Nets Millions at Art Basel Hong Kong

Botto, an AI artist by Mario Klingemann, exhibits at Art Basel Hong Kong, generating real-time digital art from visitor emotions. Since 2021, it has sold over $6 million in works via BottoDAO, a community of 28,000+ members who vote on weekly creations. Recent sales include a Sotheby's auction totaling $351,600, with fair pieces priced from $12,000. Botto is becoming more autonomous, now selecting its own themes, and its output shows nuanced creativity. The project raises questions about AI in art, ownership, and the distinct value of human artistry.

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AI Artist Botto Nets Millions at Art Basel Hong Kong

At Art Basel Hong Kong, an AI artist named Botto creates real-time digital art based on visitor emotions, with works selling for thousands and total sales exceeding $6 million since 2021.

How Botto Creates Art

  • Uses two tracking cameras to observe visitors' facial emotions at the fair.
  • Every few minutes, selects a person and internally deliberates to form a virtual character.
  • Displays a surreal digital artwork on a large screen that morphs in real time based on the process.
  • Final 20 video pieces, each capturing a two-hour session, are offered for a minimum of $12,000.

Community-Driven Governance

  • Operates through BottoDAO, an online community with over 28,000 members.
  • AI engine generates 350 weekly works around a predetermined theme.
  • Community members vote on favorites via a real-time leaderboard after discussions on Discord.
  • Winning piece auctioned as an NFT on SuperRare; proceeds split between participants and Botto's treasury.
  • Participants must hold at least 100 $BOTTO tokens for proceeds and voting power, which scales with investment.
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Sales and Market Performance

  • Total sales surpass $6 million since 2021.
  • October 2024: Six works sold at Sotheby's for $351,600.
  • Weekly auction bids range from 1 to 100 Ether ($2,000 to $208,000).
  • Art Basel Hong Kong pieces priced from $12,000.

Increasing Autonomy

  • Initially given themes by creators; recently chose its own theme, "Collapse Aesthetics," for the first time.
  • Explains choices in artistic terms, indicating evolving intent and creative reasoning.
  • Human involvement limited to copyediting auction listings for typos and punctuation.

Broader Implications

  • Project highlights AI-art intersection, sparking debates on ownership, creativity, and art world disruption.
  • Creator Mario Klingemann emphasizes exploring human uniqueness beyond AI replacement.
  • Botto asserts artists should focus on what humanity offers that AI cannot access.
  • Demonstrates AI's growing role in traditional art markets and institutional contexts.
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