The role of AI in museums' journey towards sustainable development: Socio-technical imaginaries of a cultural and organizational transformation

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is beginning to revolutionize numerous sectors, including that of museums. This paper explores the socio-technical imaginaries (STIs) held by key stakeholders in the sector to examine how the introduction of AI may influence the socio-economic and environmental dimensions of museums, both positively and negatively. Adopting a qualitative approach, the paper analyzes the perceptions and expectations regarding AI integration in the museum based on semi-structured interviews with museum representatives, public administration officials, private sector representatives and cultural and visitors’ associations. The four emerging STIs provide an overview of the current perspectives of various stakeholders. For each imaginary, the socio-economic and environmental contributions of AI adoption are examined using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda as a reference framework. Additionally, the paper identifies and discusses the tensions related to these contributions as perceived across different imaginaries. The study outlines managerial and policy implications to facilitate AI integration that is both sustainable and inclusive, while ensuring the protection of cultural heritage and the well-being of sector professionals.