Art collecting in an age of artificial intelligence
Photographers can use AI to enhance their creativity rather than eliminate it but new perspectives are needed to assess the art form in the digital age, writes Nina Roehrs.
Photographers have always adapted to new technologies, whether that’s picking up digital cameras or the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Some argue that AI goes further than previous advances, reducing the need for human input in a way that threatens the essence of photography itself. Others believe it simply shifts the photographer’s role from image-taker to image-maker, blurring the lines between creation and curation.
There are many ways to create a work of art, with varying degrees of assistance from others, including machines and algorithms. The true test, however, lies in demonstrating the uniqueness of one’s ideas, style and originality, and finding the delicate balance between concept and visual expression. Take Albertine Meunier’s HyperChips. The series has a distinctive visual language and humorously illustrates an ever-shifting AI output despite using the same prompt: “Albertine Meunier is eating sausages and chips.”
When we look at AI art, we should be asking ourselves the following questions. Does AI serve as an assistant or a creator? How much human touch has been retained? Has the interplay between man and machine led to exceptional results? Inevitably, assessing quality in this digital context requires a nuanced understanding of the technologies involved, which will demand new skills and perspectives from curators, collectors, critics and viewers alike.
AI in photography represents both continuity and change. And those who are highly skilled in navigating and exploiting these technologies have a distinct advantage. AI might not represent as radical a departure as it first appears – at least not for artists who know how to leave a lasting impression.
Roehrs is a specialist in art in the digital age and the curator of the Digital Sector at Paris Photo.
Best in shows
The coming year’s slate of photography fairs and festivals across the globe confirms the growing importance of the medium to the wider art world, while celebrating all areas of the practice. Here is a rundown of 2025’s coming attractions.
Angkor Photo Festival, February
Cambodia
Hosted by non-profit organisation Angkor Photo Festival and Workshops, this is Southeast Asia’s longest-established international photography event.
angkor-photo.co
The Photography Show, April
USA
The Association of International Photography Art Dealers spearheads this event that, in 2024, returned to its historic home in New York’s Park Avenue Armory.
aipad.com
Photo London, May
UK
First held in 2004, Photo London will return to Somerset House from 15 to 18 May to celebrate its 10th edition since its relaunch as the most significant British photography event of the year.
photolondon.org
Photofairs Shanghai, May
China
The leading platform for contemporary photography in China has also added an inaugural fair in Hong Kong to its roster, in March 2025.
photofairs-shanghai.com
Copenhagen Photo Festival, June
Denmark
The largest festival for photography in the Nordic countries has been running in the Danish capital since 2010.
copenhagenphoto festival.com
Les Rencontres d’Arles, July to October
France
Founded in 1970, internationally renowned Les Rencontres d’Arles photography festival represents a prime opportunity for discovering new photographers. The associated Jimei 3 Arles Festival in China has run since 2015.
rencontres-arles.com
Biennale Images Vevey, September
Switzerland
This biennale judges “projects” rather than individual entries for a handsome prize fund of CHF40,000 (€42,600).
images.ch
Pinta BAphoto, October
Argentina
Latin America’s most important art fair specialises in photography, with galleries from the region and the US.
baphoto.pinta.art
LagosPhoto, October
Benin/Nigeria
In 2023, LagosPhoto expanded beyond Nigeria into Benin. For 2025 the fair has transitioned to a biennale and will engage curators across Africa.
lagosphotofestival.com
Paris Photo, November
France
In 2024 the weeklong fair returned to Paris’s beautiful Grand Palais. As well as more than 200 global exhibitors, specialised sections include a book sector, which shines a light on photobooks.
parisphoto.com
