The project was launched ahead of the Vatican’s 2025 Jubilee, a holy year expected to draw more than 30 million pilgrims. Pope Francis has praised the use of technology in preserving world patrimony and spreading faith. Microsoft’s president, Brad Smith, did not disclose the cost of the project but noted it was part of Francis’ 2018 initiative to promote ethically minded AI. Microsoft has undertaken similar projects at Mont Saint-Michel in France and Ancient Olympia in Greece.
Key takeaways:
- The Vatican and Microsoft have created a digital twin of St. Peter’s Basilica using artificial intelligence and 400,000 high-resolution digital photographs.
- The digital platform will help manage visitor flows, identify conservation problems, and allow visitors to reserve entry times to the basilica.
- The project has been launched ahead of the Vatican’s 2025 Jubilee, a holy year in which more than 30 million pilgrims are expected to visit the basilica.
- The digital twin project, developed in collaboration with digital preservation company Iconem, has already identified structural damage and signs of deterioration in the basilica that were previously invisible to the naked eye.