Public Rushes to Buy Human-Made Art, Claims It Smells More Real

NEW YORK — As AI-generated paintings continue to flood online markets, collectors are turning their noses — literally — toward the past. Galleries across the country report record demand for “human-made” pieces, with buyers citing the same reason again and again: “It smells more real.”

One patron described the scent as “panic and espresso.” Another insisted that digital canvases “lack the musk of moral compromise.”

Museums have responded swiftly. The Met’s “Purely Human” exhibit features artists working under harsh fluorescent light, monitored by volunteers to ensure “no algorithmic interference.” Tickets sold out in minutes.

Meanwhile, dealers say authenticity certificates are no longer enough — buyers are asking to meet the artist in person to “get a whiff.” “It’s not about the brushwork,” said one collector. “It’s the aroma of exhaustion that makes it valuable.”

Not everyone is convinced. A rival gallery unveiled “AI Scent No. 5,” a room-diffused fragrance intended to mimic “the olfactory signature of real art.” So far, sales are strong.

From The Biscuit.