What lies ahead in the future of the art world? What would the future of American collectors be? Let's deep dive.
The U.S. art market in 2025 is a rollercoaster of unexpected events; auction houses are now placing bets on technologies and digitalized art instead of the same old blue-chip masterpieces.
AI, blockchain, and digital authorship are no longer mere concepts but a reality redefining what it means to collect art, what art actually is, and what it means for a physical art gallery in this new digital-led climate.
AI Art in the Auction World: A Turning Point
Earlier this year, Christie's announced its first-ever AI-generated art auction featuring works from renowned AI artists, Refik Anadol, Claire Silver, and Pinar Van Arman.
The auction is expected to bring more than six-figure revenues to the auction house. To some, this is a glimpse of a new era, but to many, it is an insult. More than 3,000 artists signed an open letter raising questions about digital innovation and the morally coded ethics of artists' consent.
NFTs: New Ownership Model and Environmental Costs
The NFT craze may have cooled down as the AI wave rises, but it is here to stay, ever evolving. No longer just speculative profile pictures, NFTs have matured into a layered model for digital ownership.
They offer transparency and new forms of engagement, blurring the line between physical and virtual spaces, from the metaverse to phygital platforms. Yet, their offer comes with a price, an environmental one.
A great debate over whether the NFTs have positively or negatively impacted the environment remains unresolved. The challenge for artists, collectors, and institutions is finding a balance between innovation and ethical responsibility, not only within the artistic practice but across the entire ecosystem.
Innovation vs. Ethics
This leads to the greatest question: how would digital innovation and ethics ever be balanced? Arguments are flying around on the evaluation of AI-generated art and copyright.
Some see AI as a tool to enhance creativity; others argue it exploits artists by using their work without permission. The U.S. law excludes AI from copyrightability due to the Copyright Act, which requires human creativity and authorship as affirmed by the U.S. Copyright Office and the federal court in Thaler v. Perlmutter.
Simply put, human authorship is key, and AI is only a tool, not an author. In the end, the future of digital art may not be entirely about man versus machine, but about how we choose to play along with it. Innovation will enhance us; the question is whether ethics can keep pace.
Deodato Arte: The intersection of Art, Tech, & Ethics
For galleries, this digital movement can be a make-or-break moment for them to grow in this accelerated world. Deodato Arte has embraced this head-on, blending technological innovation with curatorial vision through its phygital works and metaverse projects, such as Phygi.io.
As the lines between human and digital works continue to blur, it is crucial for galleries to guide audiences and collectors into understanding this new frontier; showcasing new media while openly addressing the ethical, ecological, and cultural questions that may arise from it.
What's next?
The digital future of art is here, but the human element remains nonnegotiable. Collectors and galleries alike must navigate the thrill of AI, NFTs, and phygital creations with care, balancing innovation with ethics.
In this landscape, galleries like Deodato Arte are proving that technology can expand creativity without sacrificing responsibility, reminding us that even in a virtual world, art is ultimately about human connection.