Unlocking Audiovisual Heritage with AI: New Horizons for Archives, Libraries and Museums

The 20th Annual Baltic Audiovisual Archival Council (BAAC) Conference  "Unlocking Audiovisual Heritage with AI: New Horizons for Archives, Libraries and Museums" will be held on 13–14 November 2025 in Vilnius, Lithuania, hosted by the Lithuanian Central State Archives, National Library of Lithuania and Archivists’ Association of Lithuania.

In recent years, memory institutions tasked with preserving audiovisual heritage—such as moving images, sound recordings, and photographs—have increasingly explored the potential of artificial intelligence (AI). As AI technologies continue to develop, they offer powerful tools to enhance access, enrich metadata, and introduce innovative methods for engaging with heritage materials.

When implemented thoughtfully, AI can support professionals in memory institutions by improving efficiency, particularly in repetitive and technical tasks such as processing, describing, and organising large audiovisual collections. Additionally, AI can help reveal hidden connections and thematic patterns across collections—insights that might remain undiscovered through manual analysis alone.

However, AI is not a perfect or standalone solution. Its application raises critical questions about authenticity, transparency, and the ethical reuse of cultural content. Ensuring that AI technologies serve the goals of memory institutions requires responsible use, guided by the expertise of heritage professionals.

The 2025 BAAC Conference invites audiovisual heritage professionals, researchers, AI developers, legal experts, and creative industry representatives to share their experiences, research, and perspectives on the evolving relationship between AI and audiovisual heritage.