European history isn’t just in books; it’s trapped in disconnected silos of data. INFINITY is the €6 million “knowledge web” designed to break these barriers, using ethical AI to transform fragile heritage into a high-value engine for the creative economy and global research.
Moving beyond simple digitization
For years, we thought scanning a document was enough. It isn’t. Disconnected digital data is an ocean where history goes to drown. INFINITY changes the game by using Artificial Intelligence to weave together isolated photos, videos, and manuscripts into a dynamic “knowledge web”.
Led by the University of Bologna, this consortium of 16 international centers of excellence is building Multidimensional Knowledge Graphs (mKGs). These graphs capture the “invisible” layers of an object—its social history, economic value, and spatial context—ensuring every AI annotation is transparent and accountable.
Six ways we are activating the past
To prove the tech works, INFINITY is deploying six real-world use cases that sound like science fiction but are happening now:
- MANUSCRIPTS (automated transcription): converts ancient manuscripts into searchable and machine readable digital text.
- CROWD (participatory memory): aggregates private archives and personal narratives to reconstruct collective memories (e.g., war survivor accounts).
- AUDIOVISUAL (video archives): enables filmmakers to source and utilise historical footage while ensuring ethical and copyright compliance.
- ARCHIVE (ethical documentation): organises vast archive repositories, visualising links between individuals, locations, and events.
- 4DGRID (Geo-Temporal Alignment): creates 4D digital twins of urban environments by aligning historical maps and photographs with modern geodata.
- 3DARCHEO (Digital Archaeology): enhances the documentation of prehistoric rock art through innovative RTI workflows that capture micro-topographic details invisible to the naked eye.
Why it matters: the ECCCH connection
INFINITY isn’t an island. It is a critical pillar of the European Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage (ECCCH). By bridging the gap between raw data and the creative economy, we ensure that European heritage remains a high-quality, transparent resource for sustainable innovation.
“INFINITY builds ethical AI that empowers cultural institutions to transform European heritage into a high-value resource for researchers and the creative economy”.
Empowering the sector: the upcoming Open Call
To ensure these technologies reach the real world, INFINITY will include a dedicated Open Call with a total funding of €650,000. This initiative will be designed to support cultural institutions and creative industries across Europe that are looking to implement these innovative solutions within their local contexts. Stay tuned for more details on how to participate and bring the power of INFINITY to your community.
Project partners
The INFINITY consortium comprises 16 international centres of excellence, led by the University of Bologna (IT) and including: Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH (AT), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IT), Culture & Creativity South West SL (ES), Digital Paths Società Benefit srl (IT), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH), Europeana (NL), Facts & Files Digital Services GmbH (DE), Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena (DE), Ministero della Cultura and Istituto Centrale per gli Archivi (IT), Poznańskie Centrum Superkomputerowo-Sieciowe (PL), Stichting Nederlands Instituut voor Beeld en Geluid (NL), Storypact GmbH (DE), The University of Edinburgh (UK), Time Machine Organisation (AT), and Uniwersytet Wrocławski (PL).