AI in Museums: Reflections, Perspectives and Applications

by Sonja Thiel (Editor), Johannes C. Bernhardt (Editor)

Overview

Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly important topic in the cultural sector. While museums have long focused on building digital object databases, the existing data can now become a field of application for machine learning, deep learning and foundation model approaches. This goes hand in hand with new artistic practices, curation tools, visitor analytics, chatbots, automatic translations and tailor-made text generation. With a decidedly interdisciplinary approach, the volume brings together a wide range of critical reflections, practical perspectives and concrete applications of artificial intelligence in museums, and provides an overview of the current state of the debate.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783837667103
Publication date:	04/09/2024
Series:	Museum
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	5.83(w) x 8.86(h) x (d)

About the Author

Sonja Thiel works as digital catalyst for Artificial Intelligence at Badisches Landesmuseum in Karlsruhe. She has a background in history and philosophy and has worked as a curator for participatory processes at cultural history museums. 2014-2020 she developed a blended-learning academy program in Museum Studies at the University of Freiburg. Her work focuses on the intersections between museology, participatory curatorial practice and open digital education.
Johannes C. Bernhardt is a cultural historian and teaches at the University of Konstanz. After holding positions at the universities of Freiburg, Mannheim and Bochum, he worked at the Badisches Landesmuseum from 2017 to 2023 on the intersection of digitality and participation, the development of the digital museum and artificial intelligence applications. His work focuses on ancient history, cultural management and digital transformation.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter 1
Contents 5
Foreword 9
Introduction 11
The Role of Culture in the Intelligence of AI 23
Why AI Cannot Think 31
AI and Art 41
The Hidden Costs of AI 57
Dead End or Way Out? 65
Power, Data and Control 73
Managing AI 83
Museum-AI Assemblages 99
AI with Museums and Cultural Heritage 117
Troubleshoot? 131
Digital Curation and AI 149
Teaching Provenance to AI 163
The Funding Program LINK—AI and Culture 173
Discovering Culture with AI 181
Post-Truth 187
Impostor Syndrome 199
Algorithmic Exhibition-Making 209
Evaluating the Blackbox 217
Clouds of Symbols 225
xCurator 233
Say the Image, Don't Make It 245
CHIM—Chatbot in the Museum 257
With AI to Art! 265
Exploring Beyond the Exhibits 273
Tracking the Visitor 287
Symotiv 295
Notes on Contributors 303
Abstracts 311

Editorial Reviews

"Ein spannendes Werk für alle, die sich mit den Schnittstellen von Technologie und Kultur beschäftigen. Denn es handelt sich um eine Veröffentlichung, die nicht nur die aktuelle Debatte über den Einsatz von KI im Kultursektor bereichert, sondern auch Impulse für zukünftige Entwicklungen liefert."

Sigrun Lehnert

"A collection worth reading on topics relating to AI that ultimately don't just concern museums. It is therefore recommended reading for practitioners in the cultural sector as well as for those interested in AI."

Isabelle Flückiger