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Archaeology and the Question of Artificial Intelligence
As is the case for many sciences, the same applies to archaeology: the targeted use of AI can create many new opportunities - be it the automated analysis of huge map bases, the comparison of thousands upon thousands of known finds and types of finds, or the machine recording and content-linking of old excavation reports. In order to further develop these opportunities and steer them in a safe direction, the Europe-wide network MAIA was founded in Brussels.
Archaeology meets AI
The MAIA network - Managing Artificial Intelligence for Archaeology - works in an interdisciplinary manner to use artificial intelligence to expand the understanding of our shared archaeological heritage. hessenARCHÄOLOGIE is also represented in the MAIA network. Dr. Axel G. Posluschny, head of the Celtic World Research Center at Glauberg, will work as the German representative of the Management Committee together with archaeology and computer science experts from across Europe, among other things to continue to focus on the recording of possible hill fortifications, burial mounds, charcoal kiln platforms and other historical traces of settlement in LiDAR terrain model data.
Many possibilities, many questions
Supported by the European Union as part of the COST funding (European Cooperation in Science and Technology), the network will discuss the most important questions about the use of artificial intelligence in archaeology in working groups: For which questions is AI suitable? How can we ensure a reliable, accurate and balanced data basis for machine-assisted learning? The challenges of the ethical use of AI, the correct interpretation of AI-supported results and the understanding of how these processes work are also central topics of the working groups led by scientists from the universities of Pisa and York as well as other archaeological and information technology institutions from across Europe.
Researchers who are or want to be involved in the use of AI in archaeology in other application areas - from text recognition of old excavation documentation to site detection from remote sensing data to automatic ceramic classification - can participate in further work through the various working groups and thus help shape the future of archaeology.
Photo: COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology)