A.I. & the art of Appraising fine art.

by Andrea m. zorrilla, aaa | founder, amz art advisory & appraisals llc
february 5, 2026

as 𝘈.𝘐. technology rapidly integrates into appraisal work tools,
is the value of your art collection art risk?

𝗔.𝗜. tools are enhancing how some independent fine art appraisers are preforming the complex ,nuanced exercise of appraising fine art.

when Used responsibly, 𝗔.𝗜. tools can support routine workflows:
—> Democratize access to public sales data (e.g. auction results)
—> Optimize routine research, data compilation + admin tasks

some news outlets have framed 𝗔.𝗜. tools as giving some appraisers a “competitive edge” over those who opt out of their use, allowing such appraisers to automate the exercise of appraising with instant, on-demand appraisal reports for clients.

A significant fundamental reality of 𝗔.𝗜. has been lost in those reports, however, and in the marketing of the technology itself—

By design, 𝗔.𝗜. tools do not have critical discernment, contextual / wholistic market insight (e.g. access to private sale records), category connoisseurship, or professional objectivity.

Jane Kallir, author of The Art Newspaper article “in the age of 𝗔.𝗜., can expertise be digitized?”+ poses the most significant challenge to 𝗔.𝗜. capabilities: while it may seem machines are trumping human skill sets, 𝗔.𝗜. “cannot see, smell, taste, hear, or feel.”

in this new age of 𝗔.𝗜. tech, how can you protect the value integrity of your art collection and the credibility of an appraisal report?

my practical due diligence tips below:

1.Experience + expertise are essential.

Remember, 𝗔.𝗜. tools are meant to support workflows not substitute the sophisticated, multidisciplinary skill set of an appraiser:

—> Practical, real world appraisal experience.
—> Peer-recognized specialization in a collecting category.
—> Meaningful professional industry relationships.
—> Relevant nuanced market comprehension.

As Artory founder, nanne dekking, noted, "𝗔.𝗜. only works if you have the right people looking at the data."

2. due. your. diligence.

The professional qualifications + affiliations of your appraiser matter, regardless of the appraisal purpose.

—> Is the appraiser a credentialed member of 1 of the 3 nationally recognized professional appraiser associations? the appraisers association of america (aaa); the international society of appraisers (isa); the american society of appraisers (asa).

—> Is the appraiser USPAP-compliant? And is their uspap compliance up-to-date?
(uspap = the uniform standards of professional appraisal practice / the universally recognized & accepted ethical and performance standards for the appraisal profession in the United States. ) 

—> Does the appraiser meet the criteria of a qualified appraiser as set forth by IRS guideline standards?

3. transparency + confidentiality.

Understand 𝘐𝘧 - 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 - 𝘏𝘰𝘸 your appraiser uses 𝗔.𝗜. tools as part of their appraisal preparation, in order to:
—> Reduce exposure risk + manage the digital footprint of your confidential information if entered into an 𝗔.𝗜. tool
—> Ensure a credible + objective, opinion of value, independent of outside, 3rd party influence and/or an overreliance on 𝗔.𝗜. tech.