Kevin Kendal, FIA (Scot) is a Specialist Valuer here at 1818 Auctioneers. His latest article considers the role of AI in valuations.
“As an antiques and collectables valuer and a technology fan, I’ve watched artificial intelligence (AI) move from science fiction into our daily lives. I have even used the likes of Chat GPT to create “jumping off points” for articles. While it offers exciting tools for valuing and cataloguing, it also challenges the traditional skills and intuition that define our profession.
“AI can transform the way we handle cataloguing, with image-recognition software identifying maker’s marks, materials, and even stylistic periods almost instantly. By analysing thousands of auction results and online listings, AI can also provide a broad picture of current market trends from the rise of mid-century furniture to shifts in ceramics collecting. These insights help valuers stay in tune with what buyers are truly paying for items today.
“Yet, for all its precision, AI lacks the one thing that defines good valuation: human judgement. It can’t appreciate the sentimental value of a family heirloom or recognise the subtle charm that makes one Victorian brooch more desirable than another.
“AI’s effectiveness also depends entirely on the data it learns from, and that data is often inaccurate or incomplete, and skews toward Western markets and mainstream trends, leaving niche or culturally specific items undervalued. There’s also the risk of over-reliance: a computer-generated number might look authoritative, but without expert interpretation, it can easily mislead.
“AI should be viewed as a partner, not a replacement for auctioneers and valuers. It’s excellent for research, comparison, and efficiency, but final valuations still require a trained human eye to spot genuine articles, as well as obvious reproductions and fakes. Antiques also carry stories that algorithms can’t read, and preserving that connection is what keeps our profession meaningful.
“In the end, the best valuations combine data-driven insight with genuine expertise; technology enhancing tradition, not erasing it.”