AAOO commissioned a research project to explore the landscape of digital heritage initiatives especially in connection with AI in Africa and Asia. The research identified 110 projects and 98 individuals, and explored how and why cultural heritage projects integrate technology, what leading voices in the field were saying and why, and what current initiatives there are focused on community-driven and ethical AI, particularly with a global south focus.
The report was released internally in March 2025 and is now available to the public here.
AAOO convened a working group of seven diverse individuals from Africa and Asia with a wide range of backgrounds, to create the initial draft of the Manifesto, a document meant to stand both as an advocacy document and a guide. The Manifesto articulates a value-based methodology for centering communities in the process of building gen AI. It was launched officially at the Culture Summit in Abu Dhabi in April 2025.
Bobina Zulfa – Researcher-Data, Digital rights at Pollicy
Yasir Zaki – Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Plant -based Indigenous Knowledge Systems in South Africa
Ended
June – August 2025
East London Community members x AAOO Pilot
Completed
June – September 2024
AAOO’s first pilot case in South Africa involves East London Community members including Community knowledge elders, traditional herbalists (AmaXwele), Vendors, youths, general members of the community who use the herbs, ethnographers, ethnobotanists, Shweshwe designers, and the academic community members.
Data recording for the Ikat weaving technique included engaging with the weavers. These community members were recorded harvesting the silk, dying, and weaving. Communities shared their knowledge and experiences in weaving, how it impacted their lives, the types of tools they use and how they have acquired them. Additionally community members shared information on the different types of patterns and how they were used.
Information on how this knowledge is being transmitted over the years has been recorded from all the data collected for all the traditional forms.
Cambodian Smot Chanting & Tradtional Ikat weaving Pilot
Ended
September – October 2025
Cambodian Smot Chanting Pilot
Ended
September – October 2025
Smot is a traditional form of Buddhist chanting performed at funerals and religious ceremonies, with very deep, and elaborate melodies. This form has been preserved through private and monastic ritual practices.
Ikat weaving in Cambodia is a technique that involves textile designing through dying threads/yarn from either silk or plant fiber which will be woven into unique patterns inspired by the Khmer traditions. This process involves carefully aligning the dyed yarn during the weaving process.
Audio and visual recordings were focusing on understanding how the communities relate with their cultural heritage and traditional forms. This involved recording of community members performing the Smot in Cambodia, and traditional rituals on the indigenous knowledge systems on indigenous plants in South Africa. Community of weavers in Takeo, Siem Reap, and the Silk Island (Koh Dach) were engaged for structured and semi-structured interviews that were recorded as audios and videos. Additionally, the weavers were also recorded visually doing the weaving on their personal, workshop, and family traditional looms. Qualitative structured tabulated data was collected specifically in South Africa through Epicollect5 mobile application in addition to the unstructured data.