Recently, an expert in artwork authentication, Dr. Carina Popovici, revealed alarming findings regarding counterfeit paintings being sold on eBay. Utilizing cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology, Dr. Popovici, CEO and co-founder of the Swiss firm Art Recognition, identified approximately 40 paintings on the e-commerce platform with a high likelihood of being fake.
In an interview with The Guardian, Dr. Popovici expressed her concerns, stating that the algorithm she employed flagged numerous artworks as counterfeit. She emphasized that the issue might extend beyond the identified cases, indicating that the situation could be just the beginning.
Among the paintings flagged by Dr. Popovici’s AI tests were two attributed to renowned artists Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. One listing featured a painting titled “Forest With a Stream” by ‘Monet,’ priced at a staggering $599,000, while another claimed to be a study by ‘Renoir,’ priced at $165,000.
eBay’s policies strictly prohibit the sale of counterfeit products, emphasizing their commitment to ensuring the authenticity of items listed on their platform. They employ various measures, including AI technology and trained investigators, to prevent the listing of counterfeit items. In 2022 alone, eBay prevented the publication of 88 million suspected counterfeits and removed 1.3 million items following investigation.
Following inquiries by reporters, eBay swiftly responded by removing the listing for the Renoir painting. However, as of May 9, the listing for the Monet painting remained active on the platform, raising concerns about ongoing efforts to combat counterfeit sales.
