AI offers pilgrims and visitors enhanced experience of St. Peter's Basilica

This news was shared from the website of Vatican News.

A partnership between the Vatican and Microsoft gives life to a new digital portal that aims to bring St. Peter’s Basilica closer to the global audience and enhance the experience of pilgrims and visitors.

By Fabio Colagrande and Linda Bordoni 

Entitled “St. Peter’s Basilica: AI-Enhanced Experience,” an AI-enabled project was unveiled on Monday in collaboration with Microsoft and Iconem, a heritage digitalization company, as the Church prepares for the Jubilee celebrations in 2025.

As speakers at a press conference explained, the digital creation of a replica of St. Peter’s Basilica allows for immersive virtual tours and in-depth digital exhibitions that bring the grandeur of the Renaissance marvel into much sharper focus.

Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, the Archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, expressed his delight during the briefing, comparing the experience to gazing at a “starry sky on a summer night.”

“The new tools act like a telescope or spaceship for better viewing,” he said, capturing the essence of this remarkable digital expansion.

A partnership between ancient and modern

The partnership between the Vatican and Microsoft is notable not only for its ambition but also for its innovative use of technology in service of faith and heritage, said  Microsoft President Brad Smith, speaking at the press conference…

This news was originally published on the website of Vatican News, click here to read more.