On 25 June, Christie’s New York hosted the 2019 Art + Tech Summit: The A.I. Revolution, a forum that brought together thought leaders, industry experts, and artists for a series of lectures and panel discussions that explored the impact of artificial intelligence (A.I.) on all aspects of the art world. Produced in conjunction with Christie’s Education and presented by Hyundai, the Summit facilitated lively conversation on emerging trends and predictions facing the future of our business and provided a platform for feedback and cultivating new ideas.
Christie’s Education alumna Boony Hur, Assistant Manager at Hyundai’s ART LAB, who was involved in the sponsorship of the summit, commented: “Hyundai always seeks for an innovative way to intersect technology with different fields as many high-tech products including automobile are now deeply embedded within our daily lives. By working with artists and different cultural institutions, we want to gain a more global perspective of human values and expand horizon beyond the technological development.
Throughout the day discussions about A.I. analytics led with the need for data in order to launch the next great chapter in art history and connoisseurship. Issues at the forefront of A.I. considered the many ethical issues to solve as well as issues around the conservation of time-based media. The potential to make the world’s culture accessible to anyone, anywhere, for free was considered among the benefits of A.I. technology, as well as its value in both the public sector and private sector. A.I. art a commodity, how to quantify it, and the development of secondary market was examined in a panel discussion.
“It is our responsibility as art historians to understand and communicate the larger context and history of those artists using new technologies creatively, and to educate collectors on the ways in which this new medium both utilises and expresses the culture of our time. I am proud that Christie’s and Christie’s Education are creating a platform in which people from all sectors of our industry can learn, discuss, and think about new forms of artistic expression and new tools for business innovation,” explains Marisa Kayyem, Programme Director of Continuing Education at Christie’s Education, New York.
To remain current in the ever-evolving art world, Christie’s Education has expanded its continuing education programme to include a new series of Art and Tech courses. Beginning this year and throughout 2020, courses on Digital Art, New Media Art, Blockchain, Augmented and Virtual Reality will be offered in London and New York.
For more information please see Christie’s Education website.