At the “Talk im Turm,” Felix K. Maier and Roland Meyer discussed how artificial intelligence shapes historical images, from academic research to pop culture and political staging.
On September 9, 2025, the focus of “Talk im Turm” was on how artificial intelligence (AI) is changing our view of the past. The discussion was moderated by Rita Ziegler and Roger Nickl and featured ancient historian Felix K. Maier (UZH) and DIZH bridge professor of Digital Cultures and Arts Roland Meyer (UZH/ZHdK).
Maier presented Re-Experiencing History, which uses AI to recreate ancient scenes, thereby raising new research questions. The project is funded in the 1st DIZH Founder Call. Meyer, in turn, analyzed AI-generated images in digital media and showed how scientific sources, Hollywood, and games are giving rise to an “archeofuturistic” visual language that is also being used for political purposes.
Both experts emphasized that photographs have never been free of staging; what is new is the speed and mass of plausible AI images. In addition to technical forensics, critical source work is therefore particularly important. Maier advocated strengthening the humanities in schools in order to promote the ability to classify such images.
