Caroline Mylward, Deputy GC, Chief Corporate and Securities Counsel at Sotheby's
How do you introduce AI into a business built on centuries of expertise, trust, and craftsmanship?
We sat down with Caroline Mylward, Deputy GC, Chief Corporate and Securities Counsel at Sotheby’s, to explore how one of the world’s most iconic brands is balancing heritage with innovation. From AI-powered authentication and digital art to governance, accountability, and the future of luxury client experiences, Caroline shares her perspective on what responsible AI adoption looks like in a high-value, high-trust market.
Sotheby’s is a centuries‑old institution operating in a highly traditional market; how do you approach balancing heritage with the rapid pace of AI innovation?
The Sotheby’s of today looks very different from the Sotheby’s of 1744 and that’s part of the reason we remain a leader in art and luxury. Our heritage gives us credibility, but it is our ability to adapt that has kept us relevant.
Photo: Caroline Mylward
Taking authenticity as an example, innovation is nothing new to the art market. Forensic science techniques have evolved continuously over the last century and are now routinely used alongside provenance research and specialist expertise. AI has great potential in helping specialists analyse images, process large volumes of data and identify patterns to help them make the best judgments. In 2024, a Swiss auction house sold what is believed to be the first artwork authenticated solely through AI analysis, without a supporting expert opinion. However, the market has not yet shown any subsequent meaningful appetite for replacing specialist judgment altogether.
Digital art and AI are also changing how art is made, experienced and collected. Our digital art platform, Sotheby’s Metaverse, sold over $120m of NFTs and digital art in its first year. AI generated art is also of interest to collectors, such as our sale of “AI God, a Portrait of Alan Turing” by the AI powered humanoid robot Ai-Da Robot in 2024 for $1m.
Luxury brands are under pressure to adopt AI without compromising exclusivity or craftsmanship. What does “good” AI adoption look like in that context?
The best use of AI in luxury is not to remove the human element, but to make client interactions more relevant, informed and seamless. Done well, the technology sits in the background with clients receiving better recommendations, a smoother and more personalised experience when they interact with us. This supplements, rather than replaces, our client relationships and specialist expertise. Whether advising on a masterpiece, a rare watch or a collector car, clients are ultimately buying our judgement as much as an object.
Sotheby’s experience with digital channels shows that technology can broaden access without diminishing exclusivity or standards. These have introduced younger generations of collectors to the market while preserving the principles that matter most: rarity, quality, expertise and trust. Younger collectors have grown up with technology and will expect it to be used to give them the best user experience. Brands that fail to meet those expectations risk becoming less relevant.
From a legal and governance perspective, what are the key challenges that come with introducing AI into such a high‑value, high‑trust market?
The first challenge is accountability. Sotheby’s stands behind the authenticity of the works it sells through its authenticity guarantee. That reflects a simple principle: accountability ultimately rests with people and institutions, not technology.
The second challenge concerns intellectual property, authorship and provenance. AI generated art raises questions about ownership and originality. AI assisted authentication has its own risks – a painting may look right to an algorithm but still have a problematic provenance history or otherwise raise concerns for a specialist. Over-reliance on AI carries risks, particularly in a high value market. Transparency, clear standards and consistent disclosure are key.
The third challenge is institutional governance. Firms need policies and controls around data quality, cybersecurity, privacy, model validation and record-keeping, particularly where AI may influence valuations, client advice or authentication. In luxury markets where reputations are built over decades and can be lost quickly, governance and risk management are just as important as the technology itself.
Hear Caroline Mylward live at Legal Geek Conference 2026 (14-15 October, London), alongside 250+ speakers from across the legal industry and beyond.
