AI offers pilgrims and visitors enhanced experience of St. Peter's Basilica

By Fabio Colagrande and Linda Bordoni 

Entitled “St. Peter’s Basilica: AI-Enhanced Experience,” an AI-enabled project was unveiled on Monday in collaboration with Microsoft and Iconem, a heritage digitalization company, as the Church prepares for the Jubilee celebrations in 2025.

As speakers at a press conference explained, the digital creation of a replica of St. Peter’s Basilica allows for immersive virtual tours and in-depth digital exhibitions that bring the grandeur of the Renaissance marvel into much sharper focus.

Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, the Archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, expressed his delight during the briefing, comparing the experience to gazing at a “starry sky on a summer night.”

“The new tools act like a telescope or spaceship for better viewing,” he said, capturing the essence of this remarkable digital expansion.

A partnership between ancient and modern

The partnership between the Vatican and Microsoft is notable not only for its ambition but also for its innovative use of technology in service of faith and heritage, said  Microsoft President Brad Smith, speaking at the press conference.

In an interview with Vatican News’ Fabio Colagrande, Smith reflected on the unique role technology can play in bridging past and present.

“I believe it adds to the spiritual experience of pilgrims coming to Rome,” he said, recalling that “Just going through it myself yesterday, gave me even more insight into the memory of Saint Peter, his life, and what he stood for. It brings that history to life.”

Smith explained that the virtual experience offers a new perspective, allowing viewers to “see parts of the Basilica that one cannot see,” and through the digital exhibit, visitors can access spaces usually out of reach, like the Roman tombs below and intricate artwork in the Basilica’s high dome.

Enhanced accessibility to spiritual heritage

Presenting the initiative, he explained that the virtual replica was created using a cutting-edge drone, camera, and laser scanning technology to capture every detail of the Basilica, followed by advanced AI algorithms to piece together the data. This aims to allow a new generation to engage with the Basilica’s splendour in a format that resonates with them.

“We are taking St. Peter's not just to the world but to a new generation of people, in a language that is more accessible for the times we live in,” said Smith. He emphasized that this accessibility brings spiritual, cultural, and historical significance to people worldwide, even if they cannot physically visit Rome.

Building on shared values

Smith also emphasized the broader significance of this partnership, seeing it as a demonstration of what can be achieved when “people come to a common problem from different points of view, from different areas of expertise.”

Reflecting on the collaboration between an ancient institution like the Vatican and a modern tech company, he remarked: “There’s a story here about what people can accomplish together when they build on each other's strengths and bring out the best in each other.”

He said he hoped this would inspire reflection on the power of collaboration, especially in times that call for deeper understanding across differences.

Faith and technology

Smith agreed that the project highlights the Vatican’s willingness to embrace new technology as a means of advancing faith and making its treasures accessible in ways previously unimaginable.

Addressed the concerns that new technologies like AI could clash with faith, he said “So often, one can start by assuming that new technology is in tension with religion or faith,” but what this project shows, he concluded, is that there is a way to reconcile this tension. It addresses it in a way that eliminates the tension and “gives people the opportunity to do something bigger than they might have imagined.”