AI offers pilgrims and visitors enhanced experience of St. Peter’s Basilica

By Fabio Colagrande and Linda Bordoni

Titled “St. Peter’s Basilica: AI-enhanced experience,” an AI-powered project was unveiled Monday in collaboration with Microsoft and Iconem, a heritage digitization company, as the Church prepares for jubilee celebrations in 2025.

As speakers explained at a press conference, digitally creating a replica of St. Peter’s Basilica allows for immersive virtual tours and in-depth digital exhibits that much more showcase the grandeur of the wonder of the Renaissance.

Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, expressed his joy during the briefing, comparing the experience to observing a “starry sky on a summer night.”

“The new tools act like a telescope or spacecraft for better visualization,” he said, capturing the essence of this remarkable digital expansion.

A partnership between ancient and modern

The partnership between the Vatican and Microsoft stands out not only for its ambition but also for its innovative use of technology in the service of faith and heritage, Microsoft President Brad Smith said at the press conference.

In an interview with Fabio Colagrande of Vatican News, Smith reflected on the unique role technology can play in bridging the past and present.

“I believe it adds to the spiritual experience of pilgrims coming to Rome,” he said, recalling that “just walking through it myself yesterday gave me even more information about memory of St. Peter, his life and what he stood for. It brings this story to life.

Smith explained that the virtual experience offers a new perspective, allowing viewers to “see parts of the basilica that you can’t see,” and through the digital exhibit, visitors can access spaces usually out of reach. in scope, such as the Roman tombs below and intricate works of art. the high dome of the basilica.

Better accessibility to spiritual heritage

Presenting the initiative, he explained that the virtual replica was created using a drone, camera and cutting-edge laser scanning technology to capture every detail of the basilica, followed by algorithms advanced AI tools to gather data. The objective is to allow a new generation to become interested in the splendor of the basilica in a format that speaks to them.

“We’re introducing St. Peter’s not only to the world, but to a new generation of people, in language that’s more accessible to the times we live in,” Smith said. He emphasized that this accessibility brings spiritual, cultural and historical significance to people around the world, even if they cannot physically visit Rome.

Rely on shared values

Smith also highlighted the broader importance of this partnership, seeing it as a demonstration of what can be achieved when “people approach a common problem from different perspectives, from different areas of expertise.”

Reflecting on the collaboration between an ancient institution like the Vatican and a modern technology company, he remarked: “There is a story here about what people can accomplish together when they build on each other’s strengths and bring out the best in everyone. »

He said he hoped it would inspire reflection on the power of collaboration, particularly in a time that demands a deeper understanding of differences.

Faith and technology

Smith acknowledged that the project highlights the Vatican’s willingness to embrace new technologies as a way to advance the faith and make its treasures accessible in ways previously unimaginable.

Addressing fears that new technologies like AI could come into conflict with faith, he said: “Very often one can start by assuming that new technologies are in tension with religion or faith,” but what What this project shows, he concluded, is that there is a way to reconcile this tension. It approaches the problem in a way that eliminates tension and “gives people the opportunity to do something bigger than they could have imagined.”