1. Generative artificial intelligence connects
Transylvanian-Saxon cultural heritage: Opportunities and threats for its appropriation, preservation and
further development
Knowledge of one's origins is a basic
prerequisite for shaping the future. Therefore, examining the
historical and current situation of the Transylvanian Saxons as
well as the Transylvanian-Saxon cultural heritage is of central
importance.
Taking into account technological developments - in
particular digitalization, the Internet and,
more recently, generative artificial intelligence - an in-depth
examination of the above-mentioned topic will take place.
GENAI opens up a wide range of opportunities
for the appropriation, preservation and further development of cultural
heritage, but also harbors new threats. GENAI is a powerful
tool that can usually provide high-quality answers to human requests, questions
and hints, called prompts. It calculates the statistically most
likely word combinations for the input given in the prompt.
At a time when cultural heritage is being further
developed by machines, whether we like it or not, concepts are
needed that enable appropriation, preservation and further development in the
spirit of the Transylvanian Saxon community. Specifically, it is about
developing axiological (ethical, political, social, etc.) and
epistemic values that are used to evaluate the results of the
large language models and also to enable lively cultural development.
The Transylvanian-Saxon cultural heritage,
which has been digitized and made publicly accessible, has already become the
subject of GENAI applications. The algorithms
ensure that the questions can be answered by machines, and training
with epistemic values aims to promote the generation of true
answers and prevent false answers. The consideration of axiological
values (ethical, social, political, etc.) is intended to promote
civilized debate and prevent offensive and destructive communication. The
Transylvanian-Saxon cultural heritage has, in my opinion, functioned as the
primary unifying factor and influence on the
Transylvanian-Saxon community since the late 20th
century, contributing to the shaping of their collective identity.
My second thesis is that, thanks to generative AI, the Internet will in future
be a very powerful digital communication space for the
acquisition, preservation and further development of Transylvanian-Saxon
cultural heritage.
The associations and the Internet are,
according to my third thesis, the most important tools of the community.
These projects will discuss how Transylvanian Saxons can preserve their cultural
independence and what tasks and challenges arise for their organizations and all
those who are committed to Transylvanian-Saxon cultural heritage in the age of
generative AI.
GENAI presents a broad range of opportunities for the
acquisition, preservation, and further development of cultural heritage, along
with new potential threats.These projects will explore how
Transylvanian Saxons can maintain their cultural autonomy and
the challenges and tasks that their
organizations and those dedicated to Transylvanian Saxon cultural heritage face
in the GENAI era.
The responses generated by GENAI can be influenced indirectly. This can be
achieved through two approaches: first, by digitizing and
extensively publishing the cultural heritage, and second, by utilizing
GENAI.Both approaches contribute to the training of GENAI.
In regard to the future aquisition, preservation, and development of the
Transylvanian-Saxon cultural heritage, two strategic areas of
responsibility should be considered. Firstly, the cultural heritage should be
digitized as completely as possible. Secondly, concepts
should be developed that contain both axiological (ethical, political, social,
etc.) and epistemic values. These are necessary to evaluate the responses
generated by GENAI and to facilitate vibrant cultural growth.
If these two tasks are successfully accomplished, the Transylvanian Saxon
cultural heritage will continue to exist in the future, hold the
community together and shape the identity of the
Transylvanian Saxons, regardless of where someone lives. Because the following
will still apply in the future:
“What you have inherited from your fathers,
Acquire it in order to possess it”
(Johann Wolfgang von Goethe/Faust).
Articles on these topics
|
