Museums Tackle Holocaust Education with AI and Holograms (1)
- Museums are integrating holograms, AI, and VR to simulate conversations with Holocaust survivors and enslaved individuals.
- The tech aims to combat bigotry, especially as concerns rise about AI amplifying online biases.
Racial bias is a real problem with AI. We covered a story recently of a black woman in Detroit who was wrongfully arrested as AI mis-identified her as a suspect in a crime.
- The Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center and The Legacy Museum are at the forefront of this tech integration.
- In Illinois, holograms of Holocaust survivors answer visitor questions using a specialized AI system.
AI + Holograms are a remarkably powerful combination of tools to entrench and anthropomorphize critical concepts. We’re already seeing stories of schools using holograms to education children in remote areas.
- Questions range from beliefs in God to thoughts on genocide.
- The system "learns" over time, improving its responses.
- Alabama's Legacy Museum uses holograms of actors portraying enslaved people, activated when visitors approach a reconstructed holding cell.
Insight: The Power of Immersive History
- Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, emphasizes the goal: "The concept is to get closer to history, get closer to the people, get closer to the stories, get closer to the experience."
- The Greenwood Rising History Center recreates the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre with holographic barbers discussing racism and politics.
- Visitors experience a "haircut" while smoke fills the room, symbolizing the riot outside.
- Kelley Szany of the Illinois Museum believes that technology offers a "different level of understanding" by transporting viewers to the sites of historical atrocities.
Insight: The Future of Tech in Museums
- The Illinois museum recently introduced three VR films, blending historic photos with present-day VR footage.
- One film, "Letters from Drancy," is premiering at the Venice International Film Festival.
- As AI and VR technologies evolve, they offer a powerful tool to bring history to life, making it more relatable and impactful for visitors.
- However, it's crucial to harness AI responsibly, ensuring that the stories told are accurate and unbiased.
- The system gets smarter with each question, highlighting the potential of AI to continually refine and enhance the museum experience.
