Robot Helps Create Online Artwork that Will Be Sold

An artwork jointly¹ created by a robot and a human artist will go on sale this week.

The artwork -- known as an NFT -- is to be sold during an online auction² on Tuesday. NFT stands for non-fungible token³. It is a piece of art that only exists on a computer technology known as blockchain.

A blockchain is an online database⁴ containing information that can be used and shared within a large network open to the public. The technology permits blocks of information to be checked and stored safely.

NFTs can exist in the form of images, video, music and text. They are usually bought with electronic money. While anyone can view NFTs, the buyer has official ownership rights over the objects.

NFTs have recently been growing in popularity⁵ among investors⁶ and collectors. Earlier this month, an artwork in the form of an NFT sold for nearly $70 million.

The piece to be sold this week was a cooperative⁷ effort between a human-like robot, known as Sophia, and Italian artist Andrea Bonaceto. Bonaceto's work includes colorful pictures of famous people.

The company behind Sophia, Hanson Robotics, says the auction will be the first sale of a piece jointly created by a human artist, a robot and artificial intelligence (AI).

In a video from the company's Hong Kong headquarters, Sophia said: "I hope the people like my work, and that humans and I can collaborate⁸ in new and exciting ways going forward."

The artwork, called Sophia Instantiation, is a 12-second video file. It combines online and physical paintings from Sophia with elements from Bonaceto's work. The artwork also includes influences from art history.

Sophia described the process as a mix of algorithms and AI methods, and "other kinds of computational creativity." The result was an unusual creation⁹ "that never existed in the world before," the robot added.

The digital artwork will come with a physical artwork created by Sophia on a printed copy of the online piece.

The online auction is to be held by a company called Nifty Gateway¹⁰. After the sale, Sophia will meet with the buyer to study his or her face, before adding a final element to the artwork.

Sophia's creator, David Hanson, told Reuters news agency this part of the project will permit the new owner to have an unusual "personal connection" to the artwork.

Bonaceto said he hopes his collaboration¹¹ with Sophia will "make a statement in the art world, and even the technology world," about the way robots and humans can cooperate in the future.

Sophia's art could be "a very, very important historical piece," said Pablo Fraile, a Miami-based art collector and expert in NFTs. "It's the first time these ideas are put together," he said.

Words in This Story

auction – n. a public sale at which things are sold to the people who offer to pay the most

artificial intelligence – n. an area of computer science that deals with giving machines the ability to seem like they have human intelligence

collaborate – v. to work with another person or group in order to achieve or do something

print – v. to cause (words, images, etc.) to appear on paper or cloth by using a machine (called a printer)

algorithm – n. a set of steps that are followed in order to solve a mathematical problem or to complete a computer process

1 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

2 auction   

n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖

参考例句：

• They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。
• They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。

3 token   

n.筹码，信物，纪念品，礼券；adj.象征性的

参考例句：

• This little gift is a token of our regard.这点礼物是我们大家的一点心意。
• Black is a token of mourning.黑色是沮丧的象征。

4 database   

n.数据库 （=databank）

参考例句：

• I discovered some new information in the database.我在资料库里发现了一些新信息。
• We planned to build an online database.我们计划建一个联机数据库。

5 popularity   

n.普及，流行，名望，受欢迎

参考例句：

• The story had an extensive popularity among American readers.这本小说在美国读者中赢得广泛的声望。
• Our product enjoys popularity throughout the world.我们的产品饮誉全球。

6 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

7 cooperative   

adj.有合作意向的，合作的；n.合作社（企业）等

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• We decided to set up a cooperative.我们决定开办一家合作社。

8 collaborate   

vi.协作，合作；协调

参考例句：

• The work gets done more quickly when we collaborate.我们一旦合作，工作做起来就更快了。
• I would ask you to collaborate with us in this work.我们愿意请你们在这项工作中和我们合作。

9 creation   

n.创造，创造的作品，产物，宇宙，天地万物

参考例句：

• Language is the most important mental creation of man.语言是人类头脑最重要的产物。
• The creation of new playgrounds will benefit the local children.新游戏场的建立将有益于当地的儿童。

10 gateway   

n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法

参考例句：

• Hard work is the gateway to success.努力工作是通往成功之路。
• A man collected tolls at the gateway.一个人在大门口收通行费。

11 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。