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Artificial Intelligence in Museums

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Navigating Opportunities and Challenges

January 25, 2024 • SEMC Virtual Program

Eileen D. Tomczuk, Tulane University

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Agenda

  • Introductions

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  • Artificial Intelligence Overview

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  • AI in Museums
    • Possible uses
    • Examples
    • Potential benefits and concerns

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  • Discussion

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Current

  • Tulane University
  • Taylor Center for Social Innovation
  • LGBT + Archives Project of Louisiana

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Past Experience

  • 10+ years as a museum professional
  • MA in Museology
  • Conducts research on spatial justice, historic preservation, and museology

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Eileen D. Tomczuk

PhD student, Urban Studies

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Using the Zoom poll, tell us:

Whose institutions are currently using AI?

For what purposes are you using AI?

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What is AI?

Artificial Intelligence

Machines and software programmed to mimic human thought processes to recognize patterns, learn, create, produce knowledge, and make decisions.

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Resources

  • Copywriting
    • ChatGPT
    • Jasper.ai
    • Anyword.com
    • Neutraltext.com

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  • Image Creation
    • Images.ai
    • Midjourney.com
  • Graphic Design
    • Canva.com

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  • Logo and Brand Creation
    • Brandmark.io

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  • AI Website Builder
    • Durable.co

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“Unlock the Power of AI for Marketing,” (July 22, 2023), Museumtastic Blog.

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AI in Museums

  • Marketing
  • Curation and Exhibits
  • Audience Engagement

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AI Uses

  • Write copy
  • Design graphics
  • Ask AI for marketing strategy suggestions

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Example

  • Provide Chat GPT with detailed information about your upcoming exhibition
  • Give a specific prompt to generate social media posts

Marketing

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Prompt: ��“Craft a week’s worth of daily tweets to promote the launch of our new exhibition. �Each tweet should create excitement and anticipation. �If you need more information about the exhibition, please ask.”�

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Remember!

�AI is only as smart as you make it!

Feed the chatbot information about your exhibition..��.�

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Benefits

  • Generate text quickly
  • Can ask chatbot to revise text for tone and reading level
  • Use on multiple marketing and outreach projects

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Concerns

  • Training the AI
  • Training the staff
  • Hallucinations
  • MAD – Model Autophagy Disorder

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AI Uses

  • Design an exhibition floor plan
  • Curate an exhibition from your collection
  • Write exhibition text panels

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Example

  • Act as if you are a curator: An AI-generated exhibition at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University

Curation and

Exhibit Design

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Installation view of Act as if you are a curator: an AI-generated exhibition at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University. Photo by Cornell Watson,

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Benefits

  • Draw new connections between objects
  • Generate ideas for inspiration
  • Creates work quickly

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Concerns

  • Needed to build a custom ChatGPT interface
  • Returns inaccurate or unclear information
  • Suggested installation techniques/design that were impossible

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AI Uses

  • Interactive AI guides (animated, holographic, etc.)
  • Find similarities between audience photos and collection items
  • Devise prompts, questions, maybe puzzles and riddles
  • Unlimited!

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Examples

  • NoRilla at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh
  • AI Connections Table at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation

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Audience Engagement

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Intellingent Science Station with NoRilla, at Carnegie Science Center, designed by Nesra Yannier

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Benefits

  • Research found that children:

- stayed longer

- remembered more

- had just as much fun

              • Facilitated experience when an educator is not available
              • Endless interactive possibilities

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Concerns

  • More screen time
  • Specialized tools may be more expensive/require expertise
  • Possible tech failures

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AI Connections Table at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, designed by Bluecadet

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Using the Zoom poll, tell us:

Do you think AI has the potential to benefits museum workers and audiences?

Are you concerned about possible negative impacts of AI on museum workers and audiences?

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Benefits

  • Inspirational at the beginning of projects
  • Save time! AI can quickly perform repetitive tasks
  • Free and low-cost tools are available
  • Can re-write text for tone and reading level
  • Endless audience engagement opportunities
  • Professional or eye-catching graphics with low effort

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Concerns

  • Job security for museum workers
  • Adequate training to use new technology
  • AI “hallucinations”
  • MAD – Model Autophagy Disorder
  • Replicating oppressive power structures in content
  • Ethical concerns about intellectual property

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Thank you!

Eileen D. Tomczuk

etomczuk@tulane.edu

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Let’s discuss!

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