Google DeepMind and Ancient Inscriptions

DeepMind has unveiled a new AI system called Aeneas that can decipher partially-erased Latin inscriptions carved into stone — and even determine their approximate date and origin.

Trained on a dataset of 150,000 inscriptions from across the Roman Empire — spanning from Britain to Iraq — Aeneas not only reconstructs missing text but also identifies historical parallels.

In trials with 23 historians, Aeneas helped generate new research ideas in 90% of cases. Among its notable successes is the analysis of the famous Monumentum Ancyranum in Ankara.

The open-source code is now available at predictingthepast.com and is already being integrated into educational programs in Belgium.

Archaeologists may soon swap their shovels for laptops — and let Latin speak once again! 🏛️

#DeepMind #Aeneas #Epigraphy

@science