Using AI for the documentation of intangible cultural heritage

This paper explores the potential roles AI could play in interpreting, documenting, preserving, and making accessible intangible forms of cultural heritage for future generations. The paper starts by analysing the changing role of documentation in collections and archives (primarily museum archives and/or archives that include artworks). The paper then investigates what these changes in documentation may mean for archives, introducing also the notion of a dynamic archive. Finally, the paper utilises ChatGPT to explore how AI defines documentation, how it states documentation can be used, and what research might be necessary to establish the responsible and trustworthy use of AI in this context. The two case studies explored through ChatGPT are Lynn Hershman Leeson’s Agent Ruby (1998-2002) and Blast Theory’s Cat Royale (2022). Our argument is that the use of AI in the documentation of intangible cultural heritage will impact not only its presentation, exhibition, and conservation, but also change the role that archives will play in years to come.