Nicole Junkermann: AI and Indian Stories

Transcript

India holds many stories, crafts and ideas. AI can help sort and describe them with care. Technology should support culture, not replace it.

Key points

• India's stories, crafts and ideas form a rich cultural heritage.
• AI can help sort, catalogue and describe that material with care.
• Technology works best in support of culture, with people keeping the lead.

Culture first, tools second

Art lovers know that a culture lives as much in its stories and crafts as in its galleries, and Nicole Junkermann's view on AI and India starts from that idea. Large collections of textiles, carvings, songs and oral histories can be hard to explore, and careful tools can help organise them, add clear descriptions and make them easier to find.

The value lies in the care: descriptions that respect where a work comes from, and people who decide how a tradition is presented. Seen from an art review, this is a hopeful picture, in which technology widens access to craft and storytelling while the meaning of each object stays with the communities and specialists who know it best.