Sustainable development of Nyonya beadwork based on digital AI generation

Baba and Nyonya culture, an intangible cultural heritage of Malaysia, is declining in modern times, especially among younger generations. Nyonya beadwork, a key art form, faces limited dissemination due to labour-intensive production, dependence on traditional techniques, and low digitalization. This study used Artificial Intelligence (AI) to generate Nyonya bead embroidery – style images and designed a questionnaire to assess product value across education, attraction, and experience, as well as to predict sustainability. Data from 96 samples analyzed using SmartPLS showed that the educational, attractive, and experiential dimensions of AI-generated Nyonya bead embroidery products positively influence product value, which in turn positively affects sustainability. These findings indicate that applying AI technology to digitize intangible cultural heritage offers strong practical value for cultural transmission.