Under the theme Artificial Intelligence in the Future of Work in GLAMs (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums), the National Film and Sound Archive’s Fantastic Futures conference in 2024 explored the current state and potential future of artificial intelligence and generative AI within the GLAM sector.
Over four days at multiple locations around Canberra, the conference responded to unparalleled global interest in AI and its effects on society. GLAM sector leaders and innovators joined industry professionals and academics to connect AI to cultural collections and the people who engage with them, seeking to define and create positive impacts for AI deployment.
The event featured a formal conference with a mix of international and Australian keynote presentations, demonstrations, academic papers and creative commissions, as well as behind-the-scenes tours, professional workshops, a performance by award-winning Australian audiovisual artist and composer Robin Fox, and an art exhibition.
The NFSA introduced Bowerbird: its internally developed and machine-learning enabled, transcription engine. Bowerbird is currently being fine-tuned to recognise Australian English speech, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander terms – such as place names Ngunnawal and Queanbeyan – as well as Australian colloquialisms. Bowerbird is being used to transcribe thousands of hours of NFSA audiovisual collection material to enrich collection discovery and access.
Video recordings of conference sessions are now available on-demand, for free, on the Fantastic Futures section of the NFSA’s Research and Innovation hub.
In 2025, The AI for (and by) Libraries, Archives and Museums (AI4LAM) community will present further webinars, meetups and working groups focused on topics such as speech-to-text and professional development.
Fantastic Futures 2025 will take place at the British Library in December.
Fantastic Futures 2024 attendees preparing to enter Arc Cinema at the NFSA. Photo: Grace Costa.
Aunty Violet Sheridan welcoming Fantastic Futures 2024 attendees to Country. Photo: Grace Costa.
NFSA CEO Patrick McIntyre opening the event. Photo: Grace Costa.
Peter-Lucas Jones, Kathy Reid and Keir Winesmith in conversation at Fantastic Futures 2024. Photo: Grace Costa.
Fantastic Futures 2024 attendees in the NFSA courtyard. Photo: Grace Costa.
Fantastic Futures 2024 attendees in the NFSA courtyard. Photo: Grace Costa.
Fantastic Futures 2024 attendees in the NFSA courtyard. Photo: Grace Costa.
Fantastic Futures 2024 attendees in the NFSA courtyard. Photo: Grace Costa.
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Main image: attendees at the Fantastic Futures Conference at the NFSA, October 2024.
As part of ongoing policy development, NFSA teams collaborated on establishing clear principles regarding the use of ML and AI in our daily practice.
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia acknowledges Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live and gives respect to their Elders both past and present.
