The evolution of new media in museums: Is AI on the verge of acceptance like the web in the 90s?

Over the last 30 years, the introduction of new technology has had a significant impact on the museum and cultural sector. Every innovation - from the early days of the web to the rise of social media and big data - has gone through a phase of skepticism, public debate and eventual integration. In light of current AI developments, I ask myself: where are we now in this journey within our sector?

The use of AI for audio guides offers numerous advantages:

• 🌍💻 1990s web: Originally a niche interest, the web revolutionized the way museums could share information and engage visitors over the course of the 1990s.
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• 📱✨ 2000s Social media: platforms such as Facebook and Twitter transformed marketing and visitor interaction in museums and became indispensable tools. Today, the platforms may be Instagram or TikTok, but social media is here to stay.
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• 📊🔍 2010s Big Data: Big Data analytics enabled museums to gain deeper insights into their collections or visitor behavior and improve personalized experiences and operational efficiency.
  

Today, AI offers enormous potential for the museum and cultural sector. From curating personalized experiences to automating administrative tasks, the possibilities are manifold. However, as with previous innovations, artificial intelligence has been met with significant concerns - artists and exhibition organizers worry about the loss of human touch and authenticity, while others fear that existing inequalities could be reinforced.

Given the evolution of previous technologies, it feels like we're in the equivalent of the web in 1995 or social media in 2008 - AI is moving from early adoption to wider integration. But this moment is truly unique because of the variety of people involved - both as users and developers.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into audio guides and multimedia guides offers museums numerous opportunities to improve the visitor experience. Here are some examples of how AI can be used in these areas.

Personalized audio guide experiences:
AI can be used to personalize audio guides by adapting content based on visitors' interests and preferences. This enables an individual and immersive experience that is tailored to the visitor's needs.

Multilingual content:
‍Museumscan use AI to create, translate and adapt content for their multimedia guides. This allows stories to be explained in different languages, giving different visitor groups deeper insights and a more immersive experience. Here is an example with an audio sample: the tour was automatically transcribed and translated with AI, and the accompanying audio in English was also generated by AI.
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Interactive and accessible features:
In addition, multimedia guides can of course continue to offer interactive and accessible features, such as quizzes, to bring the exhibitions to life. This technology enables visitors to actively engage with the content and develop a closer connection to the objects on display.

What is important is that the debate about the application must also be conducted in our sector. We need to inform ourselves and explore options in order to take a position.

As we navigate through this transformative phase, what can we learn from previous new media adoption cycles to ensure that the integration of AI into museums is ethical, inclusive and enriching for everyone's cultural experience?