Kryptos Code's Final Key Auctioned by Artist Sanborn, Citing AI Frustration
For decades, the cryptic allure of Kryptos, the enigmatic sculpture gracing the grounds of CIA headquarters, has captivated cryptanalysts worldwide. Designed by artist James Sanborn, this S-shaped copper masterpiece contains a nearly 1800-character message, a puzzle that has seen amateur and professional code-breakers feverishly chip away at its secrets. While three of its four panels of ciphertext have been successfully decoded, the final section, known as K4, remains stubbornly uncracked. Until now, only Sanborn himself knew the plaintext of K4, but that exclusive club is about to expand. Sanborn has announced he is putting the answer up for sale.
“I’m auctioning off the 97-character plaintext of K4, which is the secret of Kryptos,” Sanborn revealed, confirming a possibility he had hinted at earlier this year. The sale will even include a curved metal plate that served as a cutting sample for the panel now installed at the agency. Sanborn’s decision stems from a confluence of factors, including a recent surge of frustration over what he describes as inaccurate claims by individuals using artificial intelligence to “solve” the code.
Beyond the desire to control the narrative surrounding his creation, Sanborn, who approaches his 80th birthday around the November bidding commencement, also cited personal reasons. “I wanted to be of sound mind and body when it happened, so I could control it in some way,” he explained. As a working artist, he lacks a substantial retirement fund, and expresses concern about potential financial challenges should he or his wife face a serious disability. A portion of the proceeds from the auction, which will be handled by RR Auction with a reserve expected around $300,000, will be dedicated to programs for the disabled.
Sanborn harbors a specific hope for the winning bidder: that they will assume the considerable burden of responding to the constant stream of putative solutions from the still-active community of Kryptos enthusiasts. The artist currently fields 30 to 40 letters a week, a task he is eager to relinquish. Ironically, while AI has been a source of annoyance due to false claims, Sanborn suggests it could also be the solution. Following a previous article, he was contacted by a prominent figure in the AI field who outlined how artificial intelligence could help manage responses to Kryptos fans. “The irony is not lost on me,” Sanborn admitted, though he himself has no interest in collaborating with the new owner on this front. “I’d rather it be over,” he stated, plainly. “At this point, I’m tired of it.”
However, the sale is not without its potential pitfalls. The prospect of an ill-intentioned buyer raises concerns, drawing parallels to the infamous case of Martin Shkreli, who purchased the sole copy of a Wu-Tang Clan album only for it to become embroiled in legal and ethical controversies. While Sanborn acknowledges such risks, stating his sale comes without conditions, the implications extend beyond artistic integrity. The CIA has not been formally informed of the auction, and the notion of a foreign power, such as a “Russian oligarch,” obtaining a piece of an intelligence agency’s secret has sparked a degree of paranoia, despite Sanborn asserting his clear rights to the text.
Adding another layer of intrigue, Sanborn has previously hinted that the K4 plaintext may not be the ultimate answer, but rather an instruction for solving a deeper riddle, potentially involving other elements of the Kryptos installation. This next layer, dubbed “K5,” would not require physical access to CIA grounds, but its nature remains as obscure as the current solution. “Even when K4 has been solved, its riddle will persist as K5,” he shared in a statement.
Ultimately, Sanborn’s hope is that the new owner will choose to keep K4 secret, preserving its mystique. “If you don’t have the secrets, you don’t have any power,” he mused, encapsulating the philosophy behind a sale that will undoubtedly reshape the legacy of one of the world’s most enduring cryptographic puzzles.