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PDFOpen Access (License Unspecified), Open Access
Thesis
The role of artificial intelligence in animating historical portraits: audience engagement and perceptions of authenticity in museum-based digital experiences
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
Dec 2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00011248
Abstract
Recent advances in artificial intelligence have enabled new forms of historical representation in museum and digital heritage contexts, including the animation and enhancement of archival portraits. While such techniques are increasingly adopted to increase audience engagement, their effects on emotional response and perceived historical authenticity remain underexplored. This study examines how different AI-enhanced presentation formats influence engagement, emotional resonance, and perceptions of authenticity in interactions with historical portraiture. Using a mixed-methods research design, the study employed an online survey administered through Qualtrics. Participants were presented with digitally enhanced portraits of two historical figures--Anna Warner Bailey and Isaac Granger Jefferson--across multiple formats, including original black-and-white still images, colorized still portraits, short animated clips, and one-minute narrated videos employing first-person, third-person, and hybrid narrative perspectives. Quantitative data were collected through Likert-scale measures assessing engagement, emotional connection, perceived authenticity, clarity, and overall preference. Qualitative insights were gathered through open-ended responses that allowed participants to reflect on their interpretive and emotional experiences. Findings suggest that AI-based enhancements, particularly the combination of animation and narration, generally increased emotional engagement and perceived presence compared to static images. However, heightened emotional resonance did not consistently correspond to higher perceptions of historical authenticity. First-person narration tended to intensify emotional connection, while third-person and hybrid narrative formats were more frequently associated with trust and perceived historical reliability. Participant responses revealed recurring tensions between immersion and authenticity, underscoring the importance of transparency and curatorial framing when deploying AI-generated media in heritage contexts. This research contributes empirical evidence to ongoing discussions surrounding the ethical and interpretive implications of AI in historical storytelling. By systematically comparing multiple AI-enhanced portrait formats, the study offers practical insights for museums and digital heritage practitioners seeking to balance emotional engagement with historical integrity in the design of AI-mediated experiences.
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Details
- Title
- The role of artificial intelligence in animating historical portraits
- Creators
- Mahdieh Molaei
- Contributors
- Emil Polyak (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Science (M.S.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University
- Number of pages
- xxiii, 192 pages
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Digital Media; Drexel University; Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design
- Other Identifier
- 991022148305004721