Dublin City Council has announced a new initiative in the tourism sector: Brendan, an AI-powered tour guide. Brendan’s creators promise to deliver “distinct Dublin wit and charm” to tourists and locals in a new and accessible form.
Brendan will look like a typical Dubliner—young, reddish-haired, and snood-wearing—all while delivering AI-powered audio content about more than 500 cultural and historical sites in the city.
The AI city guide is one of many other digital personalities created by CityMe, such as Laia for Barcelona or Charlotte for Paris.
This introduction of AI into the tourism sector seems out of step with the vibrant tourist culture that already exists in Dublin, fueled by real, human Dubliner tour guides, each with their own unique stories and special knowledge to share.
We must ask the question, again, where AI-powered tools should be limited, especially when it comes to our cultural spheres.
