Entre algoritmos y memoria: repensar la difusión del patrimonio cultural en la era de la IA

The emergence of artificial intelligence in the field of cultural heritage has sparked debates that often oscillate between enthusiasm and apprehension. However, AI is no longer a future possibility but a present reality, already integrated into numerous processes of research, communication, and access to knowledge. From this perspective, the real challenge is not whether we should accept or reject AI, but rather how to incorporate it in a responsible, critical, and meaningful way that serves the objectives of heritage management. The most significant contribution of AI to cultural heritage does not lie primarily in the automation of tasks, but in its ability to expand and enrich the contexts through which heritage is understood, making specialized knowledge accessible to increasingly diverse audiences. Heritage research produces a vast amount of rigorous information that often remains confined to academic or professional environments. In this regard, artificial intelligence can help translate, connect, and disseminate such knowledge without compromising scientific rigor. From the perspective of heritage education, this capacity is particularly important, as the preservation of heritage largely depends on citizens’ ability to know, understand, and value it. Conservation is not achieved solely through legal protection measures or technical interventions; it also requires social awareness and public engagement. By facilitating access to knowledge and promoting new forms of interaction with cultural assets, AI can contribute to strengthening the relationship between communities and their heritage. Nevertheless, AI should always be understood as a tool rather than an end in itself. Critical judgment, interpretation, and scientific responsibility remain inherently human competencies that cannot be delegated to technology. Consequently, the greatest potential of artificial intelligence lies in helping heritage knowledge move beyond specialized circles and become a genuine public good, fostering a more informed, engaged, and culturally aware society.