The AI revolution will shortly begin with a self-selling box. Or least it suspiciously looks like it.

Artist Caleb Larsen has created a cube that has a mind of its own called “A Tool to Deceive and Slaughter” (2009). The device shaped like a black acrylic box is plugged into the Internet and will sell itself on eBay every week—forever.

Hard to believe? Here’s the kicker: the piece even comes with a legal contract binding the buyer to help facilitate the next sale to the succeeding buyer, ad finitum.

In an interview with Wired.co.uk, Larsen said, “Inside the black box is a micro controller and an Ethernet adapter that contacts a script running on server ever 10 minutes. The server script checks to see if box currently has an active auction, and if it doesn’t, it creates a new auction for the work.”

If the auction has ended or the work has been sold, it automatically creates a new auction of itself.

Larsen has even set the conditions such that the art work must be “live” on the Internet at all times. Disconnections from the web are only allowed during transportation.

Likewise, he’s made contingencies in case eBay has technical problems: “The script is hosted on a server to allow for updates and upgrades if and when the eBay API (the interface used for 3rd party programs to talk to eBay) changes.”

And if eBay suddenly shuts down or goes under in the next 10 years? Larsen’s Q&A seller’s page answers that: “The contract and the piece were designed to be platform agnostic to accommodate for this. If eBay dries up and disappears, then another platform, either propriety or public, can be used for the selling.”

Larsen’s artwork relies a lot on the buyers following the rules set up by the purchase. However, the artist is relying on the fact that they could make money in doing so. The new owner of the work can do this setting a new value for the artwork based on “current market expectations” supposedly more than the price they paid for.

When the device starts up a new auction, new buyers can then bid for the artwork based on the value set by the then-owner. Of course, they still have to pay the eBay fees as well Larsen’s 15 percent share of the increase in the value.

You can follow the auction here: http://atooltodeceiveandslaughter.com. (Joseph N)

Source: Wired, i09, Caleb Larsen, eBay, A Tool to Deceive and Slaughter