Microsoft and Vatican Unveil AI-Powered Digital Twin of St. Peter's Basilica

Microsoft and the Vatican unveiled this AI collaboration

The Vatican and Microsoft on Monday unveiled a digital twin of St. Peter's Basilica that uses artificial intelligence to explore one of the world's most important monument's while helping the Holy See manage visitor flows and identify conservation problems. Using 400,000 high-resolution digital photographs, taken with drones, cameras and lasers over four weeks when no one was in the basilica, the digital replica is going online alongside two new on-site exhibits to provide visitors -- real and virtual -- with an interactive experience. "It is literally one of the most technologically advanced and sophisticated projects of its kind that has ever been pursued," Microsoft's president Brad Smith told a Vatican press conference. The project has been launched ahead of the Vatican's 2025 Jubilee, a holy year in which more than 30 million pilgrims are expected to pass through the basilica's Holy Door, on top of the 50,000 who visit on a normal day. "Everyone, really everyone should feel welcome in this great house," Pope Francis told Smith and members of the project's development teams at an audience Monday. The digital platform allows visitors to reserve entry times to the basilica, a novelty for one of the world's most visited monuments that regularly has an hours-long line of tourists waiting to get in. But the heart of the project is the creation of a digital twin of St. Peter's Basilica through advanced photogrammetry and artificial intelligence that allows anyone to "visit" the church and learn about its history. The ultra-precise 3D replica, developed in collaboration with digital preservation company Iconem, incorporates 22 petabytes of data -- enough to fill five million DVDs -- Smith said. The images have already identified structural damage and signs of deterioration, such as missing mosaic pieces, cracks and fissures invisible to the naked eye, with a speed and precision far beyond human capabilities. Francis has called for the ethical use of AI and used his annual World Message of Peace this year to urge an international treaty to regulate it, arguing that technology lacking human values of compassion, mercy, morality and forgiveness were too great. On Monday, he thanked the Microsoft team and basilica workers responsible for the project and marveled at how modern technology was helping spread an ancient faith and preserve a piece of world patrimony, which celebrates the 400th anniversary of its consecration in 2026. "This house of prayer for all peoples has been entrusted to us by those who have preceded us in faith and apostolic ministry," he told Smith and the delegation. "Therefore, it is a gift and a task to care for it, in both a spiritual and material sense, even through the latest technologies." Smith declined to give a price tag for Microsoft's investment in the project, saying only it was "substantial" and was borne of Francis' initiative in 2018 to bring tech companies together to promote ethnically minded AI. He said Microsoft had done similar AI projects at Mont Saint-Michel in France and Ancient Olympia, in Greece.

Vatican, Microsoft create AI-generated St. Peter's Basilica to allow virtual visits, log damage

The Vatican and Microsoft on Monday unveiled a digital twin of St. Peter's Basilica that uses artificial intelligence to explore one of the world's most important monument's while helping the Holy See manage visitor flows and identify conservation problems. Using 400,000 high-resolution digital photographs, taken with drones, cameras and lasers over four weeks when no one was in the basilica, the digital replica is going online alongside two new on-site exhibits to provide visitors -- real and virtual -- with an interactive experience. "It is literally one of the most technologically advanced and sophisticated projects of its kind that has ever been pursued," Microsoft's president Brad Smith told a Vatican press conference. The project has been launched ahead of the Vatican's 2025 Jubilee, a holy year in which more than 30 million pilgrims are expected to pass through the basilica's Holy Door, on top of the 50,000 who visit on a normal day. "Everyone, really everyone should feel welcome in this great house," Pope Francis told Smith and members of the project's development teams at an audience Monday. The digital platform allows visitors to reserve entry times to the basilica, a novelty for one of the world's most visited monuments that regularly has an hours-long line of tourists waiting to get in. But the heart of the project is the creation of a digital twin of St. Peter's Basilica through advanced photogrammetry and artificial intelligence that allows anyone to "visit" the church and learn about its history. The ultra-precise 3D replica, developed in collaboration with digital preservation company Iconem, incorporates 22 petabytes of data -- enough to fill five million DVDs -- Smith said. The images have already identified structural damage and signs of deterioration, such as missing mosaic pieces, cracks and fissures invisible to the naked eye, with a speed and precision far beyond human capabilities. Francis has called for the ethical use of AI and used his annual World Message of Peace this year to urge an international treaty to regulate it, arguing that technology lacking human values of compassion, mercy, morality and forgiveness were too great. On Monday, he thanked the Microsoft team and basilica workers responsible for the project and marveled at how modern technology was helping spread an ancient faith and preserve a piece of world patrimony, which celebrates the 400th anniversary of its consecration in 2026. "This house of prayer for all peoples has been entrusted to us by those who have preceded us in faith and apostolic ministry," he told Smith and the delegation. "Therefore, it is a gift and a task to care for it, in both a spiritual and material sense, even through the latest technologies." Smith declined to give a price tag for Microsoft's investment in the project, saying only it was "substantial" and was borne of Francis' initiative in 2018 to bring tech companies together to promote ethnically minded AI. He said Microsoft had done similar AI projects at Mont Saint-Michel in France and Ancient Olympia, in Greece.

The Vatican partners with Microsoft to develop a digital twin of St. Peter's Basilica

Forward-looking: Digital twins are designed to faithfully replicate their real-world counterparts, and enable simulations, testing, and other computational tasks to be performed without impacting the originals. They can also serve preservation efforts, as demonstrated by the latest project introduced by the Vatican. Catholic authorities collaborated with Microsoft to develop a digital twin of St. Peter's Basilica, one of the most important Christian churches and a globally renowned tourist attraction. Using AI and various scanning technologies, Microsoft and its partners were able to create an accurate digital model of the Basilica, offering people around the world a new way to explore the church and its many hidden corners. The Basilica di San Pietro project involved capturing hundreds of thousands of images through drones, cameras, and laser scans, using advanced photogrammetry techniques to precisely document the church's physical features. Iconem, a French company specializing in digital preservation, collected over 400,000 high-resolution images, which were then processed on Microsoft's Azure platform. Microsoft used AI to refine the 3D model, achieving millimeter-level accuracy that can be explored via modern web browsers. AI algorithms also helped detect potential structural issues within the virtual replica, generating a detailed map of cracks and missing mosaic tiles, allowing restorers to prioritize areas needing repair. The digital St. Peter's Basilica is meant to be an immersive exhibit for Christians, scholars, and history buffs worldwide. The "new" Basilica, built on the foundations of the original Roman church, is over 400 years old and features many unique works by Michelangelo, Bernini, and other classical artists. Microsoft is highlighting the role of advanced AI algorithms in bringing this highly detailed 3D replica to life, while the Vatican aims to preserve one of its most treasured churches as a "cultural, spiritual, and historically significant site for years to come." An official website will provide users with a virtual experience of the Basilica ahead of the 2025 Holy Year Jubilee, an event expected to draw millions of tourists and Christian pilgrims to Rome. This AI-powered digital twin offers a more intimate and personalized view of St. Peter's Basilica, especially for those unable to visit Vatican City in person.

Microsoft and Vatican create 3D twin of St. Peter's Basilica using AI

The project allows virtual visitors to explore the landmark and aids conservation efforts by identifying structural issues ahead of the 2025 Jubilee. The Vatican and Microsoft have unveiled an extraordinary digital recreation of St. Peter's Basilica, combining cutting-edge AI with centuries-old heritage to bring the famed monument into the digital realm. The 3D replica, created from 400,000 high-resolution images taken by drones, cameras, and lasers over a four period, now allows people worldwide to explore the cherished religious landmark online. "It is literally one of the most technologically advanced and sophisticated projects of its kind that has ever been pursued," Microsoft President Brad Smith said at a Vatican press conference unveiling the project. The project has been launched ahead of the Vatican's 2025 Jubilee, a holy year in which more than 30 million pilgrims are expected to pass through the basilica's Holy Door, on top of the 50,000 who visit on a normal day. The ultra-precise 3D replica, developed in collaboration with digital preservation company Iconem, incorporates 22 petabytes of data - enough to fill five million DVDs -Smith said. Pope Francis has called for the ethical use of AI and used his annual World Message of Peace this year to urge an international treaty to regulate it, arguing that technology lacking human values of compassion, mercy, morality and forgiveness were too great. On Monday, he thanked the Microsoft team and basilica workers responsible for the project and marvelled at how modern technology was helping spread an ancient faith and preserve a piece of world patrimony, which celebrates the 400th anniversary of its consecration in 2026.

AI-Powered St. Peter's Basilica 'Twin' Unveiled

The Vatican and Microsoft have revealed a groundbreaking project: a digital twin of St. Peter's Basilica, created through artificial intelligence to allow virtual exploration of the landmark and aid in conservation efforts. Launched in Vatican City on Monday, this initiative uses over 400,000 high-resolution images, captured by drones, cameras, and lasers during a monthlong project when the basilica was closed to the public. This digital replica offers a unique way to experience one of the world's most significant monuments while helping Vatican officials monitor and manage visitor flows and identify structural concerns. A Marvel for the Jubilee Year Microsoft President Brad Smith described the digital twin as "one of the most technologically advanced and sophisticated projects of its kind." The launch comes just before the Vatican's 2025 Jubilee, during which more than 30 million pilgrims are expected to visit the basilica, on top of the typical 50,000 daily visitors. In preparation, the new platform will offer visitors an option to reserve entry times -- an innovation for the historically popular destination. Pope Francis expressed his gratitude toward Microsoft's team and the development partners. Addressing project members in a Vatican audience, he emphasized, "Everyone, really everyone, should feel welcome in this great house." AI and Photogrammetry Detect Hidden Damage The digital twin of St. Peter's Basilica was made possible through a collaboration between Microsoft and digital preservation firm Iconem, which employed advanced photogrammetry and artificial intelligence. This 3D replica, requiring a staggering 22 petabytes of data -- equivalent to five million DVDs -- allows a highly detailed virtual tour of the basilica's artwork and architecture. The images have already provided vital insights, identifying structural damage including missing mosaic pieces, cracks, and signs of deterioration that are not visible to the naked eye. This digital approach has given the Vatican a new, efficient method to monitor the monument's condition, surpassing human abilities in terms of speed and precision. Promoting Ethical AI in Heritage Preservation Pope Francis, a vocal advocate for ethical AI, has championed the project's role in preserving and spreading the message of faith. His annual World Message of Peace recently highlighted the need for an international treaty to regulate artificial intelligence, emphasizing that technology should align with human values including compassion and morality. Reflecting on the digital project's purpose, Francis noted, "This house of prayer for all peoples has been entrusted to us by those who have preceded us in faith and apostolic ministry." "Therefore, it is a gift and a task to care for it, in both a spiritual and material sense, even through the latest technologies," he said. While Smith refrained from disclosing the project's cost, he affirmed that Microsoft's investment was "substantial." This effort is part of a broader initiative inspired by Francis' 2018 call to promote ethically-minded AI. Microsoft has led similar projects with Mont Saint-Michel in France and Ancient Olympia in Greece, reinforcing its commitment to preserving cultural heritage through cutting-edge technology. This article includes reporting from The Associated Press Related Articles

Vatican, Microsoft create AI-generated St. Peter's Basilica to allow virtual visits, log damage

VATICAN CITY (AP) -- The Vatican and Microsoft on Monday unveiled a digital twin of St. Peter's Basilica that uses artificial intelligence to explore one of the world's most important monument's while helping the Holy See manage visitor flows and identify conservation problems. Using 400,000 high-resolution digital photographs, taken with drones, cameras and lasers over four weeks when no one was in the basilica, the digital replica is going online alongside two new on-site exhibits to provide visitors -- real and virtual -- with an interactive experience. "It is literally one of the most technologically advanced and sophisticated projects of its kind that has ever been pursued," Microsoft's president Brad Smith told a Vatican press conference. The project has been launched ahead of the Vatican's 2025 Jubilee, a holy year in which more than 30 million pilgrims are expected to pass through the basilica's Holy Door, on top of the 50,000 who visit on a normal day. "Everyone, really everyone should feel welcome in this great house," Pope Francis told Smith and members of the project's development teams at an audience Monday. The digital platform allows visitors to reserve entry times to the basilica, a novelty for one of the world's most visited monuments that regularly has an hours-long line of tourists waiting to get in. But the heart of the project is the creation of a digital twin of St. Peter's Basilica through advanced photogrammetry and artificial intelligence that allows anyone to "visit" the church and learn about its history. The ultra-precise 3D replica, developed in collaboration with digital preservation company Iconem, incorporates 22 petabytes of data -- enough to fill five million DVDs -- Smith said. The images have already identified structural damage and signs of deterioration, such as missing mosaic pieces, cracks and fissures invisible to the naked eye, with a speed and precision far beyond human capabilities. Francis has called for the ethical use of AI and used his annual World Message of Peace this year to urge an international treaty to regulate it, arguing that technology lacking human values of compassion, mercy, morality and forgiveness were too great. On Monday, he thanked the Microsoft team and basilica workers responsible for the project and marveled at how modern technology was helping spread an ancient faith and preserve a piece of world patrimony, which celebrates the 400th anniversary of its consecration in 2026. "This house of prayer for all peoples has been entrusted to us by those who have preceded us in faith and apostolic ministry," he told Smith and the delegation. "Therefore, it is a gift and a task to care for it, in both a spiritual and material sense, even through the latest technologies." Smith declined to give a price tag for Microsoft's investment in the project, saying only it was "substantial" and was borne of Francis' initiative in 2018 to bring tech companies together to promote ethnically minded AI. He said Microsoft had done similar AI projects at Mont Saint-Michel in France and Ancient Olympia, in Greece. Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Vatican, Microsoft create AI-generated St. Peter's Basilica to allow virtual visits, log damage

VATICAN CITY (AP) -- The Vatican and Microsoft on Monday unveiled a digital twin of St. Peter's Basilica that uses artificial intelligence to explore one of the world's most important monument's while helping the Holy See manage visitor flows and identify conservation problems. Using 400,000 high-resolution digital photographs, taken with drones, cameras and lasers over four weeks when no one was in the basilica, the digital replica is going online alongside two new on-site exhibits to provide visitors -- real and virtual -- with an interactive experience. "It is literally one of the most technologically advanced and sophisticated projects of its kind that has ever been pursued," Microsoft's president Brad Smith told a Vatican press conference. The project has been launched ahead of the Vatican's 2025 Jubilee, a holy year in which more than 30 million pilgrims are expected to pass through the basilica's Holy Door, on top of the 50,000 who visit on a normal day. "Everyone, really everyone should feel welcome in this great house," Pope Francis told Smith and members of the project's development teams at an audience Monday. The digital platform allows visitors to reserve entry times to the basilica, a novelty for one of the world's most visited monuments that regularly has an hours-long line of tourists waiting to get in. But the heart of the project is the creation of a digital twin of St. Peter's Basilica through advanced photogrammetry and artificial intelligence that allows anyone to "visit" the church and learn about its history. The ultra-precise 3D replica, developed in collaboration with digital preservation company Iconem, incorporates 22 petabytes of data -- enough to fill five million DVDs -- Smith said. The images have already identified structural damage and signs of deterioration, such as missing mosaic pieces, cracks and fissures invisible to the naked eye, with a speed and precision far beyond human capabilities. Francis has called for the ethical use of AI and used his annual World Message of Peace this year to urge an international treaty to regulate it, arguing that technology lacking human values of compassion, mercy, morality and forgiveness were too great. On Monday, he thanked the Microsoft team and basilica workers responsible for the project and marveled at how modern technology was helping spread an ancient faith and preserve a piece of world patrimony, which celebrates the 400th anniversary of its consecration in 2026. "This house of prayer for all peoples has been entrusted to us by those who have preceded us in faith and apostolic ministry," he told Smith and the delegation. "Therefore, it is a gift and a task to care for it, in both a spiritual and material sense, even through the latest technologies." Smith declined to give a price tag for Microsoft's investment in the project, saying only it was "substantial" and was borne of Francis' initiative in 2018 to bring tech companies together to promote ethnically minded AI. He said Microsoft had done similar AI projects at Mont Saint-Michel in France and Ancient Olympia, in Greece. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Vatican, Microsoft create AI St. Peter's Basilica to allow virtual visits, log damage

VATICAN CITY -- The Vatican and Microsoft on Monday unveiled a digital twin of St. Peter's Basilica that uses artificial intelligence to explore one of the world's most important monument's while helping the Holy See manage visitor flows and identify conservation problems. Using 400,000 high-resolution digital photographs, taken with drones, cameras and lasers over four weeks when no one was in the basilica, the digital replica is going online alongside two new on-site exhibits to provide visitors -- real and virtual -- with an interactive experience. "It is literally one of the most technologically advanced and sophisticated projects of its kind that has ever been pursued," Microsoft's president Brad Smith told a Vatican press conference. The project has been launched ahead of the Vatican's 2025 Jubilee, a holy year in which more than 30 million pilgrims are expected to pass through the basilica's Holy Door, on top of the 50,000 who visit on a normal day. "Everyone, really everyone should feel welcome in this great house," Pope Francis told Smith and members of the project's development teams at an audience Monday. The digital platform allows visitors to reserve entry times to the basilica, a novelty for one of the world's most visited monuments that regularly has an hours-long line of tourists waiting to get in. But the heart of the project is the creation of a digital twin of St. Peter's Basilica through advanced photogrammetry and artificial intelligence that allows anyone to "visit" the church and learn about its history. The ultra-precise 3D replica, developed in collaboration with digital preservation company Iconem, incorporates 22 petabytes of data -- enough to fill five million DVDs -- Smith said. The images have already identified structural damage and signs of deterioration, such as missing mosaic pieces, cracks and fissures invisible to the naked eye, with a speed and precision far beyond human capabilities. Francis has called for the ethical use of AI and used his annual World Message of Peace this year to urge an international treaty to regulate it, arguing that technology lacking human values of compassion, mercy, morality and forgiveness were too great. On Monday, he thanked the Microsoft team and basilica workers responsible for the project and marveled at how modern technology was helping spread an ancient faith and preserve a piece of world patrimony, which celebrates the 400th anniversary of its consecration in 2026. "This house of prayer for all peoples has been entrusted to us by those who have preceded us in faith and apostolic ministry," he told Smith and the delegation. "Therefore, it is a gift and a task to care for it, in both a spiritual and material sense, even through the latest technologies." Smith declined to give a price tag for Microsoft's investment in the project, saying only it was "substantial" and was borne of Francis' initiative in 2018 to bring tech companies together to promote ethnically minded AI. He said Microsoft had done similar AI projects at Mont Saint-Michel in France and Ancient Olympia, in Greece. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Vatican, Microsoft Create AI-Generated St. Peter's Basilica to Allow Virtual Visits, Log Damage

VATICAN CITY (AP) -- The Vatican and Microsoft on Monday unveiled a digital twin of St. Peter's Basilica that uses artificial intelligence to explore one of the world's most important monument's while helping the Holy See manage visitor flows and identify conservation problems. Using 400,000 high-resolution digital photographs, taken with drones, cameras and lasers over four weeks when no one was in the basilica, the digital replica is going online alongside two new on-site exhibits to provide visitors -- real and virtual -- with an interactive experience. "It is literally one of the most technologically advanced and sophisticated projects of its kind that has ever been pursued," Microsoft's president Brad Smith told a Vatican press conference. The project has been launched ahead of the Vatican's 2025 Jubilee, a holy year in which more than 30 million pilgrims are expected to pass through the basilica's Holy Door, on top of the 50,000 who visit on a normal day. "Everyone, really everyone should feel welcome in this great house," Pope Francis told Smith and members of the project's development teams at an audience Monday. The digital platform allows visitors to reserve entry times to the basilica, a novelty for one of the world's most visited monuments that regularly has an hours-long line of tourists waiting to get in. But the heart of the project is the creation of a digital twin of St. Peter's Basilica through advanced photogrammetry and artificial intelligence that allows anyone to "visit" the church and learn about its history. The ultra-precise 3D replica, developed in collaboration with digital preservation company Iconem, incorporates 22 petabytes of data -- enough to fill five million DVDs -- Smith said. The images have already identified structural damage and signs of deterioration, such as missing mosaic pieces, cracks and fissures invisible to the naked eye, with a speed and precision far beyond human capabilities. Francis has called for the ethical use of AI and used his annual World Message of Peace this year to urge an international treaty to regulate it, arguing that technology lacking human values of compassion, mercy, morality and forgiveness were too great. On Monday, he thanked the Microsoft team and basilica workers responsible for the project and marveled at how modern technology was helping spread an ancient faith and preserve a piece of world patrimony, which celebrates the 400th anniversary of its consecration in 2026. "This house of prayer for all peoples has been entrusted to us by those who have preceded us in faith and apostolic ministry," he told Smith and the delegation. "Therefore, it is a gift and a task to care for it, in both a spiritual and material sense, even through the latest technologies." Smith declined to give a price tag for Microsoft's investment in the project, saying only it was "substantial" and was borne of Francis' initiative in 2018 to bring tech companies together to promote ethnically minded AI. He said Microsoft had done similar AI projects at Mont Saint-Michel in France and Ancient Olympia, in Greece. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Vatican Used 400,000 Photos to Create Digital Twin of St Peter's Basilica

400,000 photographs were used to create an AI-generated digital version of St. Peter's Basilica, the 400-year-old Vatican City church considered central to Christianity. On Monday, the Vatican and Microsoft Iconem unveiled a digital twin of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Italy -- one of the world's most famous and most visited churches. The project was developed in collaboration with the French digital preservation startup Iconem using AI, photogrammetry, and digital preservation. Through a new website, digital users can virtually "visit" St. Peter's Basilica and explore immersive 3D tours of spaces in the church. According to AP News, the project used 400,000 high-resolution digital photographs of St Peter's Basilica, taken with drones, cameras and lasers over four weeks when no one was in the basilica. They then used advanced AI algorithms to piece together the data. "It is literally one of the most technologically advanced and sophisticated projects of its kind that has ever been pursued," Microsoft's president Brad Smith tells a Vatican press conference. The ultra-precise 3D replica, developed in collaboration with digital preservation company Iconem, incorporates 22 petabytes of data -- enough to fill five million DVDs -- Smith said. Data from the photographs tallied to 22 petabytes. Smith says it would take almost 5 million DVDs to record all the data in the image trove. Smith says that the virtual experience of the sacred site offers a new perspective, allowing viewers to "see parts of the Basilica that one cannot see," and through the digital exhibit, visitors can access spaces usually out of reach, like the Roman tombs below and intricate artwork in the Basilica's high dome. The project has been launched ahead of the Vatican's 2025 Jubilee, a holy year in which more than 30 million pilgrims are expected to pass through the basilica's Holy Door, on top of the 50,000 who visit on a normal day. AP News reports that the project will allow the church to manage visitor flows and identify conservation problems in St Peter's Basilica. The 400,000 high-resolution digital photographs have already identified structural damage and signs of deterioration, such as missing mosaic pieces, cracks, and fissures invisible to the naked eye, with a speed and precision far beyond human capabilities.

'Digital twin' of St Peter's Basilica to allow virtual visits | BreakingNews.ie

The Vatican and Microsoft have unveiled a digital twin of St Peter's Basilica that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to explore one of the world's most important monuments - while also helping the Holy See manage visitor flows and identify conservation problems. Using 400,000 high-resolution digital photographs, taken with drones, cameras and lasers over four weeks when no one was in the basilica, the digital replica is going online alongside two new on-site exhibits to provide visitors with an interactive experience. Microsoft's president Brad Smith told a Vatican press conference: "It is literally one of the most technologically advanced and sophisticated projects of its kind that has ever been pursued." The project has been launched ahead of the Vatican's 2025 Jubilee, a holy year in which more than 30 million pilgrims are expected to pass through the basilica's Holy Door, on top of the 50,000 who visit on a normal day. "Everyone, really everyone should feel welcome in this great house," Pope Francis told Mr Smith and members of the project's development teams at an audience Monday. The digital platform allows visitors to reserve entry times to the basilica, a novelty for one of the world's most visited monuments that regularly has an hours-long queue of tourists waiting to get in. But the heart of the project is the creation of a digital twin of St Peter's Basilica through advanced photogrammetry and AI that allows anyone to "visit" the church and learn about its history. The ultra-precise 3D replica, developed in collaboration with digital preservation company Iconem, incorporates 22 petabytes of data - enough to fill five million DVDs, Mr Smith said. The images have already identified structural damage and signs of deterioration, such as missing mosaic pieces, cracks and fissures invisible to the naked eye, with a speed and precision far beyond human capabilities. Francis has called for the ethical use of AI and used his annual World Message of Peace this year to urge an international treaty to regulate it, arguing that the risks of technology lacking human values of compassion, mercy, morality and forgiveness were too great. On Monday, he thanked the Microsoft team and basilica workers responsible for the project and marvelled at how modern technology was helping spread an ancient faith and preserve a piece of world patrimony, which celebrates the 400th anniversary of its consecration in 2026. "This house of prayer for all peoples has been entrusted to us by those who have preceded us in faith and apostolic ministry," Francis said. "Therefore, it is a gift and a task to care for it, in both a spiritual and material sense, even through the latest technologies." Mr Smith declined to give a price tag for Microsoft's investment in the project, saying only it was "substantial" and was borne of Francis' initiative in 2018 to bring tech companies together to promote ethnically-minded AI. He said Microsoft had carried out similar AI projects at Mont Saint-Michel in France and Ancient Olympia, in Greece.

Microsoft teams up with the Vatican to bring an AI experience of St Peter's Basilica to the masses

Microsoft has teamed up with the Vatican to bring St Peter's Basilica online using the power of AI, enabling people anywhere in the world to visit the famous religious site without leaving home. The La Basilica di San Pietro experience is a collaboration between the Vatican, Iconem (a startup specializing in the digitalization of cultural heritage sites), and Microsoft, allowing unprecedented access to the Vatican City's most famous church. Visitors will have access to two AI-enabled immersive exhibits of the Basilica and an interactive website. The project is in celebration of the 2025 Holy Year Jubilee and hopes to make the iconic structure and artwork more accessible worldwide. The official site says, "The Pétros enì exhibit will give the 35 million pilgrims in Rome an immersive, in-person experience of a lifetime, and it will also help more than a billion Catholics unable to make the trip feel like they're in the moment." At the time of writing, the link to access the AI version of St Peter's Basilica requires a Microsoft work or school account, but we expect access to be expanded sooner rather than later and will update this article in due course. The launch trailer shows the work that has gone into recreating the incredible landmark using AI and photogrammetry, and it's seriously impressive. Iconem, a company focused on digital preservation, was able to use AI and advanced photogrammetry (using 2D images to create a 3D model) to create an incredibly realistic 3D replica of the Basilica in just a month. Iconem took over 400,000 high-resolution images and scanned the whole church using drones, cameras, and lasers, with all the data backed up to Microsoft's Azure Cloud. From there, the website explains, the company created an "ultra-precise 3D model, or a digital twin of the Basilica. AI-generated imagery taken from Iconem's photogrammetry data enhanced visualization of both the interior and exterior of the Basilica, allowing visitors to explore every intricate detail from anywhere in the world." Microsoft didn't just provide Azure Cloud, however, the company was at the core of the AI tech used by Iconem to recreate St Peter's Basilica. The website adds: "Microsoft's AI for Good Lab contributed advanced tools that refined the digital twin with millimeter-level accuracy and used AI to help detect and map structural vulnerabilities like cracks and missing mosaic tiles. The Vatican oversaw the collaboration, ensuring the preservation of the Basilica as a cultural, spiritual, and historically significant site for years to come." This impressive collaboration between one of the world's most visited tourist destinations and tech companies is just a glimpse at what the future could hold for AI tourism. This same process could be replicated for any major landmark, giving more people the opportunity to access them, without the barrier to entry of cost or accessibility. For many, Rome is a bucket-list destination, but flying there from anywhere outside of Europe can be expensive. With this new AI exhibition letting Catholics and tourists alike visit St Peter's Basilica, it's another example of an AI tourism revolution that makes bucket-list travel something you can experience at home with a computer or a VR headset.

Vatican unveils AI services for St. Peter's Basilica

STORY: One of the most sacred places in Catholicism is getting in on the AI boom. The Vatican - along with Microsoft - has launched a digital replica of St Peter's Basilica and two artificial intelligence-enabled exhibitions. With the help of Iconem, a company that digitizes heritage sites, visitors now have virtual access to the Vatican's Renaissance-era treasures, and enhanced tours. The 3D model of St. Peter's was built by scanning the basilica with drones, cameras and lasers. Drones flew at night for 4 weeks, taking over 400,000 photographs... and AI algorithms pieced together the collected data. The project was presented to Pope Francis - who has repeatedly warned AI must only be used in an ethical way to benefit humanity. POPE: "The correct and constructive use of (AI's) potential, which is certainly useful but ambivalent, depends on us." // We must therefore govern the technique, remembering that its products are good not only when they work well, but first and foremost when they help us to grow. That is the purpose." The digitization of St Peter's was unveiled ahead of the Catholic Church's Jubilee celebrations in 2025, which come around every quarter century.

Vatican Unveils AI Services for St. Peter's Basilica Ahead of Jubilee

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican launched on Monday new Artificial Intelligence-enabled services for St Peter's Basilica, allowing virtual access to its Renaissance-era architectural treasures for all and enhanced tours for visitors. The new experiences were unveiled in time for the Catholic Church's Holy Year or Jubilee celebrations in 2025, which come around every quarter of a century. "St. Peter's is like a starry sky on a summer night: you remain enchanted by its splendour," said St Peter's archpriest Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, enthusing that the new tools would act like a telescope or spaceship for better viewing. Working with tech firm Microsoft and Iconem, a company that specialises in digitalisation of heritage sites, the Vatican launched a new interactive website, a digital replica of the basilica and two AI-enabled exhibitions. Some 40,000-50,000 people visit the Basilica daily. A 3D model of St. Peter's was built scanning the basilica using drones, cameras and lasers. AI algorithms pieced together, elaborated and completed the data. Drones flew at night for 4 weeks, taking over 400,000 photographs and collecting the equivalent of a 6 km-high column of DVDs in data. Data from the digital twin will also be instrumental in preservation and restoration work. "We are taking St. Peter's not just to the world but to a new generation of people, in a language that is more accessible for the times we live in," Microsoft President Brad Smith told reporters. Pope Francis has acknowledged that AI can broaden access to knowledge but has repeatedly warned that it must only be used in an ethical way, to benefit humanity. "The correct and constructive use of (AI's) potential, which is certainly useful but can be ambivalent, depends on us," he said on Monday when the project was presented to him. (Reporting by Giulia Segreti; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)

Vatican unveils AI services for St. Peter's Basilica ahead of Jubilee

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican launched on Monday new Artificial Intelligence-enabled services for St Peter's Basilica, allowing virtual access to its Renaissance-era architectural treasures for all and enhanced tours for visitors. The new experiences were unveiled in time for the Catholic Church's Holy Year or Jubilee celebrations in 2025, which come around every quarter of a century. "St. Peter's is like a starry sky on a summer night: you remain enchanted by its splendour," said St Peter's archpriest Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, enthusing that the new tools would act like a telescope or spaceship for better viewing. Working with tech firm Microsoft and Iconem, a company that specialises in digitalisation of heritage sites, the Vatican launched a new interactive website, a digital replica of the basilica and two AI-enabled exhibitions. Some 40,000-50,000 people visit the Basilica daily. A 3D model of St. Peter's was built scanning the basilica using drones, cameras and lasers. AI algorithms pieced together, elaborated and completed the data. Drones flew at night for 4 weeks, taking over 400,000 photographs and collecting the equivalent of a 6 km-high column of DVDs in data. Data from the digital twin will also be instrumental in preservation and restoration work. "We are taking St. Peter's not just to the world but to a new generation of people, in a language that is more accessible for the times we live in," Microsoft President Brad Smith told reporters. Pope Francis has acknowledged that AI can broaden access to knowledge but has repeatedly warned that it must only be used in an ethical way, to benefit humanity. "The correct and constructive use of (AI's) potential, which is certainly useful but can be ambivalent, depends on us," he said on Monday when the project was presented to him. (Reporting by Giulia Segreti; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)

AI used to recreate historic Vatican church and identify damage invisible to naked eye

By Eleonora Chiarella, specialist producer for technology and science Artificial intelligence (AI) has been able to identify structural vulnerabilities invisible to the naked eye in St Peter's Basilica, the Vatican City, for the first time. The AI technology was used to create a digital twin of the famous Catholic church - which consists of an ultra-precise 3D computer model that simulates an object in the physical world and gets regularly updated with data from its physical counterpart. The project, called La Basilica di San Pietro, was developed by Microsoft and the Vatican, in collaboration with Iconem, a French startup specialising in digital preservation. Over a period of three weeks, drones, cameras and lasers were used to take more than 400,000 detailed images to create an exact digital replica of the exterior and interior of the famous Basilica, including all of its mosaics, frescoes and sculptures. An AI analysis of the data was able to identify cracks and fissures invisible to the human eye, providing essential information for restoration work. The AI was also able to reveal previously hidden or lost mosaic tiles and uncover an ornate ceiling. "As technology like AI propels us into the future, it can also play an important role in preserving our past," Brad Smith, vice chair and president at Microsoft, said. Dr Noha Saleeb, associate professor in creative technologies at Middlesex University, said: "AI algorithms, applied to continuous sensor data collected from Digital Twin technologies, can identify damage in structures and materials that is not visible to the naked eye. "It can also predict specific areas of future deterioration, by making calculations and identifying patterns in the data available." The use of digital twin technology in historical buildings has already shown its potential in projects such as the 3D digital model of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris that helped guide reconstruction efforts after the fire in 2019. "If it wasn't for the digital replica, they couldn't have restored it", Dr Saleeb said of the Notre-Dame. Professor Mohamed Gamal Abdelmonem, chair of architecture at the University of York, said: "The digital twin technology has become critical to the preservation of many heritage sites as the evolution and affordability of laser and imaging technology can penetrate soils and produce highly accurate copies of existing sites." Read more from Sky News: Briton, 22, killed fighting in Ukraine At least 10 dead after bar shooting in Mexico 400kg cocaine seizure on fishing boat The project was unveiled today at the Vatican with both Pope Francis and Mr Smith attending. Accessible online, La Basilica di San Pietro also wants to allow people who may never visit the Vatican in person to experience the site with the same level of details that in-person visitors can. Father Francesco Occhetta, coordinator at the Vatican, said: "For St Peter's Basilica, the alliance between human intelligence and AI is a bridge towards the future, a historical turning point that has no borders. "It is possible to view it in every corner of the earth."