AI Compass for Cultural Heritage: Reflections for the Responsible Adoption of Generative AI

Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence (AI) capable of producing new content, such as conversations, texts, images, videos and music. It is being applied in a wide variety of fields, from journalism to marketing and design. Institutions linked to cultural heritage – museums, archives and libraries – have also begun experimenting with different uses, such as interactive guides, chatbots and catalogue query systems. While these tools offer the possibility of improving the experience of users and visitors and enriching cultural heritage, their application also involves a number of obstacles and challenges. Based on research and analysis of 17 interviews conducted with professionals in the cultural sector, this AI Compass provides support to cultural institutions that are considering or already implementing these technologies. It is not intended to be a guidebook on the use of AI, but rather a tool to guide the cultural sector in reflecting on where we are today, where we are heading and, above all, the future relationships between AI and cultural heritage.