Artificial intelligence is opening new possibilities for preserving the past, with technology helping museums restore damaged artefacts, protect cultural heritage and bring history to life for new generations.
On Smart China in Action, Alicia Relinque Eleta explores Xi’an’s museum and the growing role of artificial intelligence in safeguarding one of China’s most significant cultural and historical legacies.
From restoring damaged historical objects to creating new ways for visitors to engage with the past, AI is transforming how cultural memory is preserved, interpreted and shared.
These technologies are also raising important questions about how digital tools can reshape our understanding of history while ensuring the authenticity of cultural heritage remains intact.
As China embraces the possibilities of artificial intelligence, Xi’an offers a fascinating example of how innovation and tradition can work together.
The result is a new approach to cultural preservation, where technology is not simply looking towards the future, but helping keep the past alive.






