New AI tool for historians analyses ancient inscriptions
Researchers at Durham University, in collaboration with Google DeepMind, have developed a new AI-powered tool to analyse ancient Greek and Latin inscriptions, making historical analysis more accessible.
What happened?
Researchers at Durham University, in collaboration with Google DeepMind, have created a research tool as the foundation for an AI feature called "Predicting the Past Skill for Google Antigravity". The tool is designed to assist historians in studying ancient inscriptions. It analyses patterns in thousands of texts and generates visualisations without the user needing to code. The system enables interactive conversations with the AI feature to facilitate research.
Key facts
| Utvecklare | Durham University & Google DeepMind |
|---|---|
| Verktygets namn (forskning) | Predicting the Past Skill for Google Antigravity |
| Bygger på modeller | Ithaca och Aeneas |
| Koppling till AI-system | Google Gemini |
”Researchers at Durham University have collaborated with Google DeepMind on a new AI-powered research tool designed to analyse ancient Greek and Latin inscriptions.”
”The new system, called Predicting the Past Skill for Google Antigravity, enables historians to study ancient inscriptions, analyse patterns across thousands of texts, and generate visualisations. This can be achieved by having interactive conversations with the AI Skill without t”
”The Skill is grounded in the team's earlier specialised models, Ithaca and Aeneas, which were trained on large historical datasets that are now directly linked in with Google Gemini.”
Why it matters
The tool aims to make advanced historical analysis more accessible and faster. By automating parts of the process, such as restoring missing text, estimating when and where inscriptions were written, and identifying regional patterns, historians can focus more on interpretation. The project builds on previous specialised models, Ithaca and Aeneas, trained on large historical datasets and now integrated with Google Gemini.
Who is affected?
The primary impact is on historians and researchers within ancient studies, as the tool offers new methods for analysing ancient inscriptions. Institutions involved in the development, such as Durham University and Google DeepMind, are also central. Indirectly, the general public may benefit from new insights into history.
Impact on the EU
The tool is a research project developed through collaboration between a British university and Google DeepMind. Accessibility for researchers within the EU should be equivalent to other international collaborations, as it is a tool intended for academic use.
What else you should know
The tool has been tested with real-world case studies from the Greek and Roman world, including Latin tablets from Bath in the UK, an altar from Mainz in Germany, and damaged tablets from Dodona in Greece.
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