TEHRAN – The Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts has established a new department dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI), aiming to integrate emerging technologies into its operations in a gradual, practical and goal-oriented manner.

The move is intended to harness AI’s potential to enhance planning, management and innovation across the ministry’s cultural, tourism and handicrafts sectors.

Speaking on the sidelines of the fourth exhibition of achievements of creative and knowledge-based companies in the field of artificial intelligence on Sunday, Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Reza Salehi-Amiri emphasized the role of soft technologies and artificial intelligence in the development of the country and said that the Government has seriously entered the field of artificial intelligence and all agencies are obliged to structure and utilize this strategic capacity, Mehr news agency reported.

Salehi-Amiri referred to the impact of artificial intelligence in content production and development, adding  that If artificial intelligence enters the content of the ministry's mission areas, it can become a driving force for leaps in the three areas of cultural heritage, tourism, and handicrafts; but the starting point of this path is universities, and research, knowledge production, and capacity building must take place in universities and science and technology parks.

Stating that the ministry will benefit from the capacity of universities and science and technology parks, he noted: “Fortunately, there is good interaction between the Cultural Heritage Ministry and universities and science and technology parks, and we will develop these cooperations.”

He continued by appreciating the University of Science and Culture, saying: “The University of Science and Culture is one of the universities we have chosen for cooperation, because it is very active in the fields of cultural heritage, tourism, and handicrafts, and we are interested in strengthening our scientific and executive relations with this university.”

The minister emphasized: “We need to activate the capacity of artificial intelligence in all three mission areas of the ministry so that we can transfer the existing opportunities and capacities to people's homes, cellphones, the young generation, and domestic and foreign audiences; something that is not possible without access to new technologies.”

He expressed hope that with the joint cooperation of the Cultural Heritage Ministry, the University of Science and Culture, and the Science and Technology Park of Soft and Cultural Industries, effective steps will be taken towards utilizing soft technologies and artificial intelligence. “The National Science and Technology Park of Soft and Cultural Industries is one of the golden opportunities located at the University of Science and Culture, and we are committed to its future.”

KD