Minecraft Education announces a new AI game, “Peter is Here: AI for Cultural Heritage,” to promote the historical significance of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Players follow the Sanpietrini, a group of highly skilled workers responsible for the reception, cleaning, and maintenance of the Basilica.
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As a result, young students engage in real-life restoration methods and explore the splendor of this centuries-old structure.
AI helps preserve and share St. Peter’s Basilica’s legacy
St. Peter’s Basilica is one of the largest churches in the world. It is also one of the holiest temples of Christendom, where the Pope presides over many liturgies.
Its cultural heritage has inspired many, such as Justin Edwards, the Director of Learning Experiences at Minecraft, to promote it to the next generation.
“My goal is that students will want to go with their parents to St. Peter’s Basilica and be able to be the tour guide because they already know their way around,” he said.
Minecraft’s previous collaboration with Iconem, a French company that creates digital replicas of global historic landmarks, provided the technology to make this vision possible.
Eventually, the Minecraft Education team developed the ‘Peter is Here’ game. One of its biggest challenges was creating symmetrical patterns in the marble flooring within the blocky sandbox of Minecraft.
The developers ensured the represented St. Peter Basilica’s mosaics accurately while maintaining the 3D game’s LEGO-like aesthetic.
Another challenge was depicting the church’s true scale. They overcame this hurdle using the structure’s AI digital twin from Iconem as a basis for its Minecraft counterpart.
Then, the devs used Copilot AI to research historic experiences, MS Designer to conceptualize game assets, and Visual Studio to support game mechanics.
As a result, the final version lets students help restore St. Peter’s Basilica and learn more about its cultural heritage.
Even better, the AI game introduces them to STEM education and ethical AI. Peter is Here: AI for Cultural Heritage is available on the Minecraft Education website.
