Renowned fine art auction house Christie's is set to make history by hosting its first-ever exhibition dedicated solely to artworks created with Artificial Intelligence (AI). The show, titled "Augmented Intelligence," will feature pieces from various artists, including Mat Dryhurst, the founder of AI startup Spawning AI. However, the announcement has been met with mixed reactions, with many critics arguing that the exhibition perpetuates the unfair use of artists' work without permission.

The exhibition, scheduled to take place at Christie's Rockefeller Center galleries in New York starting February 20, will showcase a range of AI-generated artworks. One of the main attractions will be a robot that paints live, highlighting the capabilities of AI in creating art. While this may seem like a groundbreaking achievement, many are questioning the ethics behind the exhibition.

On social media, users were quick to point out that many generative AI tools for art were trained on artists' works without their permission. Critics argue that shows like "Augmented Intelligence" put this work on a pedestal, at the expense of those creating art by hand. The controversy surrounds the fact that AI models like DALL-E, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion, which will be featured in the exhibition, were trained on vast amounts of artists' work without obtaining the necessary permissions or providing adequate compensation.

One Twitter user, Ed Newton-Rex, expressed his concerns, stating that Christie's is "elevating" these AI models "without once mentioning the huge issues with this, or the sustained, loud protests from artists." This raises important questions about the ownership and rights of artists in the age of AI-generated art. Should AI models be allowed to profit from artists' work without their consent, and what does this mean for the future of art and creativity?

Christie's has been approached for comment, but as of now, there has been no response. The auction house's decision to host this exhibition has sparked a necessary conversation about the ethics of AI-generated art and its implications on the art world. As the boundaries between human creativity and AI capabilities continue to blur, it is essential to address these concerns and ensure that artists' rights are protected.

The "Augmented Intelligence" exhibition will undoubtedly be a significant event in the art world, but it also serves as a reminder that the art industry must adapt to the changing landscape of AI-generated art. By acknowledging the concerns and criticisms surrounding this exhibition, Christie's and the art community as a whole can work towards creating a more equitable and sustainable future for artists and creatives.

As the art world continues to evolve, one thing is certain – the intersection of AI and art will be a topic of ongoing debate and discussion. Christie's "Augmented Intelligence" exhibition may be a pioneering effort, but it also highlights the need for a more nuanced understanding of the role of AI in art and the importance of protecting artists' rights in this new era of creativity.