Insights from the BAAC 2025 Conference on AI and Audiovisual Heritage

On November 13–14, 2025, the annual conference of the Baltic Audiovisual Archives Council (BAAC), “Unlocking Audiovisual Heritage with AI: New Horizons for Archives, Libraries, and Museums”, took place at the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania.

The conference explored the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the transcription of audiovisual content, metadata creation, access, and the re-use of digitized and born-digital audiovisual heritage. Several international projects demonstrating the application of AI in memory institutions were presented.

The event brought together more than 50 audiovisual heritage professionals from Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, the United Kingdom, Austria, and the United States. Participants had the opportunity to become acquainted with the latest AI tools, observe best practices from colleagues abroad, compare institutional experiences and challenges, and learn from one another.

Artificial intelligence offers enormous potential for expanding access to audiovisual heritage. However, this potential can be fully realized only when AI is applied responsibly and purposefully. Continuous learning and openness to technological innovation enable institutions to better understand AI capabilities and confidently implement solutions that contribute to the accessibility and preservation of audiovisual heritage.

The conference partners were the Lithuanian Central State Archives and the Archivists’ Association.