Friars at the Basilica of Saint Francis turn to AI, lasers and gigapixel cameras to repair 13th century church
Updated on: October 4, 2026 / 8:05 PM EDT / CBS News
TL;DR
- The Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Umbria, Italy, suffered significant damage from earthquakes in 1997.
- Restorers are using AI, ultra-high-definition photography, drones, and lasers to piece together over 80,000 fragments and restore damaged artwork.
- A digital twin of the basilica is being created, which will be the highest-resolution 3D blueprint of a building ever made.
- This technology will aid in future restoration, help analyze art for damage, and make the basilica's treasures more accessible to the public.
- AI can analyze cracks and discoloration in paintings in minutes, a task that would take humans years.