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The Miami Art Journal

The House

Ultra-Rich Collectors Increasingly Turn To Artificial Intelligence

The Editors ·

Ultra-Rich Collectors Increasingly Turn To Artificial Intelligence

A new global survey indicates that high-net-worth individuals are relying more on artificial intelligence to guide their art acquisitions.

The fifth edition of the annual Art Basel & UBS Survey of Global Collecting, authored by arts economist Clare McAndrew, was published on October 8, 2026. The report examined the behaviors and attitudes of 3,100 wealthy collectors across ten key markets worldwide. While the sample size is described as microscopic on a global scale, the attitudes of the wealthiest collectors are closely studied because they are thought to have an outsize influence on market trends.

For the first time, the survey asked collectors about the origins of their interest in art and their perspectives on granting access to their holdings. The data reveals that these collectors are increasingly relying on artificial intelligence, a shift noted as considerable compared to the previous year. This technological integration marks a distinct evolution in how high-net-worth individuals approach the curation and management of their assets.

The survey also explored the entry points for new collectors. Family influence emerged as the most common route into art buying, cited by 28 percent of respondents overall. This trend was even more pronounced among Gen Z respondents, for whom family influence accounted for 40 percent of entry points. This influence manifested either through inheritance of a family collection or through the encouragement of family members.

When analyzing the initial purchases of these new collectors, painting was the most prevalent medium, with 43 percent of respondents citing it as one of their first three acquisitions. Sculpture followed at 25 percent, while photography accounted for 17 percent. Works on paper and digital art each represented 15 percent of early purchases. Segments such as antiques, jewelry, and gems trailed behind these primary categories. This distribution suggests that the commonplace observation that buying other luxury collectibles leads to art collecting did not hold true for this specific slice of the collectorate.

The report delved into how well-heeled collectors are thinking about keeping their collections private versus granting physical or digital access. The findings provide a snapshot of the current mechanisms through which the ultra-wealthy engage with the art market, highlighting a growing dependence on digital tools and a strong familial foundation for new entrants. The data covers a broad range of collecting behaviors, offering insight into the structural shifts within the high-end art market.

Takeaway: The Art Basel & UBS Survey of Global Collecting, authored by Clare McAndrew, surveyed 3,100 collectors across ten markets to identify these trends.

Source: Robb Report