BEIJING, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- As digitalization increasingly integrates with economic and social development, new technologies are profoundly reshaping traditional ways of life and opening fresh pathways for cultural heritage protection and transmission.

At the 2025 Beijing Culture Forum held this week, experts and practitioners from China and abroad highlighted how artificial intelligence (AI), big data and immersive digital tools are breathing new life into cultural heritage.

AI has been used to "decode" fragmented relics unearthed at the Sanxingdui Ruins and piece them together into complete artifacts. Deep learning systems are helping scholars match oracle bone fragments from the Yin Ruins, enabling the inscriptions to "speak" again.

This trend is accelerating in China -- where museums are embracing digitization and smart technologies to enhance preservation of and public access to cultural heritage.

Zhu Hongwen, deputy director of the Palace Museum in Beijing, said the museum houses more than 1.95 million cultural relics, counted by item or set.

"Based on previous collection work, we plan to spend 10 to 20 years to complete data collection of the remaining artifacts. After collection, we will share this information with the public," he revealed.

Today, the Palace Museum's growing digital archive is powered by AI-driven knowledge graphs and other technologies -- enabling intelligent searches. Visitors can now explore the museum's treasures and scenery across seasons, weather and time of day via just a screen.

At the Dunhuang Academy, meanwhile, digital tools are also advancing cultural preservation.

According to deputy director Yu Tianxiu, the institute has launched a cloud game and an online database platform that recreate the discovery and dispersal of cave relics -- while also managing and sharing digital reconstructions of lost artifacts.

The academy plans to continue tapping its vast digital resources to boost the global influence of Chinese culture.

Efforts further extend to include safety. Rao Quan, head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, said digital monitoring platforms based on big data, cloud computing and the Internet of Things are enabling early warnings concerning risks via smart sensors.

"This provides strong support for shifting from rescue-based protection to preventive protection," he noted.

China's broader policy planning also reflects this emphasis on technology-driven protection. The country's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) envisions that by 2035, China will establish a system of heritage management in line with its cultural strength goals.

Scientific advances and stronger talent development will underpin research, while archaeological discoveries will continue to verify China's cultural history of 10,000 years and civilization spanning more than 5,000 years.

National strategies such as the Digital China initiative underline efforts to build a confident and prosperous digital culture and to advance the digital transformation of cultural development.

This vision resonates with discussions at the forum, where participants agreed that it is essential to develop new forms of digital content, promote open access to digital resources, and build bridges between cultural heritage and the public.

In Russia, digital platforms are enabling museums to preserve archives and expand online exhibition projects, according to museum expert Anna Trapkova.

She noted that podcasts, videos and interactive digital maps are drawing in young people born in the Internet era -- and helping them better connect with their country's history and culture.

Sophie Rotkopf, a regional official from France, said local authorities there support innovative technology projects that enhance heritage value and improve visitor experiences. She cited examples such as 3D reconstruction of buildings, landscapes or archaeological sites, digitization of artifacts, and the development of interactive visiting routes.

"Cultural heritage protection combined with digital display is of vital importance," Rotkopf stated. ■