Tales of valuable family heirlooms have captured audiences on shows like "Antiques Roadshow" and "Pawn Stars" for years. However, the story of Plotkin illustrates how artificial intelligence could democratize access to expert-level object identification, making it available to everyone.
At 88 years old, Plotkin had always felt a certain "regal aura" in the portrait by Cadell, envisioning the figure as a prominent politician's spouse, reminiscent of Eleanor Roosevelt. Despite her deep appreciation for the artwork, she never realized it was a masterpiece potentially worth hundreds of thousands.
“I never thought about it at all,” Plotkin shared during a recent phone conversation. “I only knew that I loved the painting.”
Her son, Barry, now 60, reflected on how, over the years, his mother occasionally wondered about the painting's backstory, but their musings never escalated into serious inquiries. He also found it cumbersome to consider taking the painting to an auction house, fearing they might dismiss it.
Then, during a visit to his mother's home in Florida a few months ago, Barry had an idea: why not utilize Gemini, Google’s AI assistant, to investigate further?
