Researchers from across India have come together to propose a framework to evaluate AI tools for preserving manuscripts, endangered languages, oral traditions & historical records, while safeguarding cultural context, community rights
LUMAMI, NAGALAND, 2nd November 2026: A research team led by Nagaland University Nagaland University, has brought together scholars from Indian institutions to explore how artificial intelligence can support the preservation of India’s rich cultural heritage.
The study focuses on manuscripts, endangered languages oral traditions and historical records—many of which’re at risk due to aging, damage or the fading of traditional knowledge.
The team includes researchers from institutions in Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. Together they developed a framework to evaluate how AI tools can be used in preservation. The goal is not just to digitize items but to ensure that the deeper meanings historical accuracy and cultural context are maintained.
The researchers said that AI should not replace understanding or community involvement. It should be deployed alongside experts and local communities to preserve heritage while respecting ownership and tradition. The study recommends using AI to support not replace, the work of archivists, linguists and cultural custodians.
The findings were published in Acta Innovations (DOI: 10.62441/actainnovations.v63i1s.1506), a peer-reviewed, open-access multidisciplinary journal published by Rotherham Academic Press Ltd., covering engineering, environmental science, sustainability, technology and social sciences.
The paper was co-authored by Prof. Ravi Ranjan Kumar, Nagaland University, Major Dr N. Kavitha, Vellalar College for Women (Autonomous), Tamil Nadu, Nisha Sengar, (PGDAV College Evening) University of Delhi, Dr. Sonia Gouri, ABES Engineering College, Ghaziabad, Dr J. Lalitha Sridevi, Hyderabad, Kumar Sai Deepak B, Sapthagiri NPS University, Bangalore, and Dr P. Deepavathi, Joy University, Tamil Nadu.
Highlighting the need for Institutions across India to collaborate on research, Prof. Jagadish K Patnaik, Vice-Chancellor, Nagaland University, said, “This collaborative research initiative reflects the growing potential of Artificial Intelligence in safeguarding India’s rich and diverse cultural heritage. The integration of AI with the preservation of manuscripts, endangered languages, oral traditions and historical records can open new avenues for documenting and transmitting our invaluable cultural knowledge to future generations”
Prof. Jagadish K Patnaik added, “Equally important is ensuring that such technological interventions respect cultural contexts, community rights and ethical considerations. I appreciate the collective efforts of the researchers from various universities and am confident that this initiative will contribute meaningfully towards building an inclusive, responsible and culturally sensitive framework for the application of AI in heritage preservation.”
AI-BASED PRESERVATION
Elaborating on this research, Prof. Ravi Ranjan Kumar, Hindi Department, Nagaland University, said, “A key contribution of our study is a framework that evaluates AI-assisted cultural preservation across nine areas, namely digitisation accuracy, text recognition, classification, translation, visual reconstruction, descriptive information, cultural context, accessibility and ethics. The framework combines technical assessments with reviews by subject experts and relevant communities.”
Prof. Ravi Ranjan Kumar added, “Technical accuracy does not necessarily guarantee cultural accuracy. An AI system may correctly transcribe a document or translate spoken words while missing historical references, cultural nuances or the significance of a tradition. Expert verification and community consultation are therefore essential, particularly when working with less commonly used languages, unusual scripts, damaged documents and oral histories.”
Digital tools can help transcribe manuscripts, record spoken languages and organize oral histories. Without proper safeguards there was a risk of losing essential context. The framework suggested that any AI use must include input from the people whose heritage is being preserved. It also calls for guidelines on data use, privacy and access.
The team believes that if used wisely AI can be an ally, in protecting India’s cultural legacy. The real success depends on balancing technology with respect, ethics and community rights
The research identified five key areas where AI could support cultural preservation
- printed and handwritten documents
- photographs and artworks
- oral histories and endangered languages
- archaeological and architectural heritage and
- folklore and community knowledge.
Potential applications of AI include making historical documents searchable, organising image collections, identifying damage to artworks, transcribing oral recordings, translating multilingual materials and creating digital maps and three-dimensional models of heritage sites.
The study also highlighted the importance of distinguishing between restoration and reconstruction. While restoration seeks to preserve or recover existing material, reconstruction may involve inferring information that is missing or unavailable. The researchers recommend retaining original digital files, documenting AI-generated changes and clearly indicating uncertainty so that users can distinguish original evidence from computer-generated interpretations.
INDIA’S MULTILINGUAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE
The proposed framework could be particularly relevant to India, where historical manuscripts, regional languages, oral traditions and community knowledge represent a vast and diverse cultural record. In the Northeast, it could help explore approaches to preserving endangered languages and documenting oral histories, provided the tools are suitable for the languages concerned and communities participate in decisions about how their heritage is recorded and shared.
For libraries, museums, universities and archives, searchable digital collections could improve access for students and researchers while reducing the need to repeatedly handle fragile original documents. Multilingual access could also help researchers discover and study collections that have received limited attention.
Human oversight remains essential
The research identifies several questions requiring further investigation, including the accuracy of AI tools when processing damaged documents and less commonly used languages, the role of communities in validating translations and descriptions, and the need to communicate uncertainty in digital reconstructions.
The authors recommend piloting the framework across different collections, scripts and dialects to assess its practical value. Such evaluations should document recognition errors, incorporate expert and community feedback, and establish whether AI-generated outputs are appropriate for their intended uses. The long-term usability of digital records must also be considered as technologies and storage systems evolve.