Pompeii Director condemns misleading AI-generated content

Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, has raised alarms regarding the irresponsible use of artificial intelligence to create misleading images and narratives about the site's victims.

Zuchtriegel specifically cited an Instagram post attributed to a chemistry professor at the University of Naples Federico II. The post, which discussed the Casa del Bracciale d’Oro, allegedly used AI-generated images and text to depict victims of the Vesuvius eruption without historical basis. The director described the practice as “disconcerting” and “repugnant,” noting that the content was linked to a fundraising portal, potentially generating economic profit from misinformation.

The Archaeological Park has contacted the university to determine if such activities align with its ethical code. Zuchtriegel emphasized the need for a broad debate on how AI is used in cultural and educational contexts to prevent a new form of “cultural and educational poverty.”