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Opinion | How digital humans are reinvigorating Chinese cultural heritage
- Museums in China have started using digital humans to transform visitors’ encounters with history and culture, letting them interact with historical figures
- These digital avatars can help popularise traditional Chinese culture, promote the classics and drive cooperation between STEM and humanities educators
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Leading museums worldwide are experimenting with augmented reality and virtual reality technologies to create new experiences for audiences to engage with art and culture. Earlier this month, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York launched the Replica app powered by the gaming platform Roblox.
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It allows users to scan a selected number of artworks in the museum, and collect and wear them in the digital world. For instance, one can choose a character and dress it in Vincent van Gogh’s hat and shirt adapted from his Self-Portrait. Users can clearly distinguish themselves in the real world from the characters in the game.
To reinvent an immersive experience, museums in China have started using digital humans to transform visitors’ encounters with history and culture. Digital humans are computer-generated 3D images that look like real people.
The industry has seen rapid growth in China in the past few years, revolutionising e-commerce, healthcare, tourism and entertainment. According to a strategic plan by Beijing’s Bureau for Economy and Information Technology, the city alone is expected to see the market for digital humans grow to 50 billion yuan (US$6.9 billion) by 2025.
In collaboration with top artificial intelligence (AI) companies such as Baidu and Tencent, Chinese museums have introduced digital humans created by mixed reality technology to become tour guides and ambassadors of Chinese tradition. These virtual humans powered by chatbots can tell stories of massive artworks produced throughout the country’s history. They are knowledgeable and tireless companions for visitors.
This new development exemplifies how AI can help China scale the preservation, education, circulation and promotion of cultural heritage and can inspire the world to do the same.
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