Working Group 3
How can AI support the conservation of digital media art?
Memo Akten & Katie Hofstadter, still from The Thinking Ocean, 2026
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming how digital cultural heritage is documented, managed, preserved, and accessed. For media art conservation, these developments offer exciting opportunities while raising important ethical, legal, and practical questions. WG3 explores how AI can be responsibly integrated into conservation practice.
Bringing together conservators, archivists, artists, computer scientists, legal experts and researchers, WG3 serves as a platform for interdisciplinary exchange and knowledge transfer. Our work is organised around three subgroups and main topics: AI tools for digital media art conservation workflows; ethical and legal frameworks for responsible AI adoption; and AI-assisted 3D documentation and digital twins.
What we're working on
Building bridges for AI in digital media art conservation.
In GAP1, WG3 explores how media art conservation can learn from responsible use of AI in archiving, librarianship, and digital preservation. We are mapping existing tools, projects, expertise, and research to identify transferable knowledge, needs and gaps.
We invite you to join the discussion, share your experience, and help build a sustainable interdisciplinary network around AI and media art conservation.
Focus
Three WG3 subgroups
Subgroup 3.1
Conservation Processes and AI Tools
Identifies AI tools for tasks and processes in media art conservation.
Coordinators
Sandra Alvaro Sanchez · Michal Kabát
Work packages
WP 3.1.1 · Mapping and capacity building
Maps the AI landscape for media art conservation — tools, expertise, projects and knowledge resources.
WP 3.1.2 · Pinpoint conservation processes and case studies
Maps key media art conservation processes and gathers case studies.
WP 3.1.3 · Networking, dissemination, public relations
Connects WG3's work with people and projects, and organises public events.
Subgroup 3.2
Ethics and Laws
Investigates ethical and legal frameworks and stakes for AI adoption.
Coordinators
Jina Chang · Deniz Onur Aras
Work packages
WP 3.2.1 · Current ethical stakes of AI in conservation
Investigates the ethical implications of AI training models and their use in conservation.
WP 3.2.2 · Ethical & legal constraints for AI tools
Focuses on copyright, authenticity, accountability and responsible use of AI.
WP 3.2.3 · Toward building a common language
Develops a shared language for AI ethics and regulation in conservation.
Subgroup 3.3
3D and Digital Twins
Investigates AI-aided tools supporting 3D documentation of installed works and digital twins.
Coordinators
Yael Eylat Van Essen · Bau015fak Çakmak
Work packages
WP 3.3.1 · Know-how, tools & infrastructure for digital twins
Investigates the expertise, tools, infrastructure and terminology digital twins require.
WP 3.3.2 · Mapping and concept development
Maps the state of the art in AI-based digital twins and 3D documentation.
WP 3.3.3 · Ethical, regulatory & stakeholder ecosystem
Examines the ethical, legal and stakeholder dimensions of digital twins.
Activities
What's on from WG3
01 Oct 2026
Online Café
AI in media art conservation — open discussion
Online · free · hosted by INCCA
open
Explore the other Working Groups
Get involved
Contribute to WG3.
Researchers, conservators and technologists working on AI for media art are welcome to join. New to EMBARK? See how membership works, then reach out to the leads.