Can museums survive the age of AI and tech? | Interview with museum planner and futurist Dr George Jacob

With the Louvre heist and the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, 2025 proved a newsworthy year for museums. Yet some of the world’s most renowned institutions, including London’s National Gallery and the Tate Modern, report visitor numbers that remain below pre-pandemic levels. In an age shaped by artificial intelligence, information overload, and rapid globalisation, the future of museums appears uncertain. Dr George Jacob, a museum planner and futurist, believes the answer lies not in resisting technology but in rethinking how museums engage with the public.

Born and raised in Pilani, Rajasthan, Dr Jacob spent his childhood summers wandering the Birla Museum, India’s first science and technology museum. That early exposure eventually led him to pursue a Master’s programme in Museum Studies at BITS Pilani. This is a choice he describes as “the road less taken.”

Today, Dr Jacob has worked on more than 100 museums worldwide. He serves as a chief adviser to the United Nations Environment Programme and is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. He has received several honours, including the Kamookak Medal. Alongside his curatorial work, he is known for his efforts to reimagine museums for audiences accustomed to instant access to information.

In this interview with Onmanorama, Dr Jacob reflects on why museums continue to matter, India’s complex relationship with them, and the enduring question of who writes history.

What are the key challenges museums face in an era of AI, smartphones and shrinking attention spans?

The most immediate challenge is speed. People today have information at their fingertips. Museums function at a much slower pace. It often takes years to conceptualise and mount an exhibition. By the time it opens, parts of the content may already feel dated.

Artificial intelligence presents another challenge. It is changing how content is produced. Some museums adopt it uncritically; others avoid it altogether. Both approaches have implications. A third challenge lies in language and translation. Words carry cultural weight and transliteration or poor translation can subtly alter meaning.

Finally, there is the issue of attention. This is a generation shaped by screens and constant stimulation. The question museums must confront is how to hold a visitor’s attention for more than a few minutes.

Static content no longer works. Exhibit designers are increasingly focused on making content dynamic. They use mobile interfaces, QR codes, and layered narratives. The guiding questions are: how does an exhibit interact with its audience and how do you encourage a visitor to return and see it differently the next time? These questions are not merely curatorial; they directly affect a museum’s sustainability and revenue. Institutions that fail to adapt risk being left far behind.

As a museum planner and futurist, how do you balance the past and the future?

I often use the metaphor of a tree. A tree grows in two directions at once: the deeper its roots, the higher its branches. The strength of the organism depends on both. Foundational content, whether created by human hands or shaped by nature, is the root system. What we build upon it is the flowering of knowledge and consciousness.

That layering becomes the bedrock of civilisations. Museums are, in that sense, the souls of civil societies. You have to nurture what exists today to meaningfully imagine what comes next.

Does India accord sufficient importance to its museums?

India is still a developing economy and the pressures of everyday life often push culture and museums to the margins. Historically, societies tend to reflect on culture and history only once basic needs are met. That said, there is a visible shift today. There is a growing interest in culture. It is also important to recognise that the museum itself is largely a Western construct. India’s heritage is predominantly intangible and living. Many of our festivals, rituals, and cultural practices have survived for centuries because they continue to be lived. Removing them from their social context and placing them behind glass risks draining them of their vitality.

The challenge, and opportunity, lies in doing something original with projects such as the Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum. It is about finding ways to celebrate living traditions within the framework of a museum, without fossilising them.

How can museums preserve history without bias?

The question of who writes history is unavoidable. Often, history is written by the victors and it is rarely neutral. What museums can do, however, is acknowledge multiple perspectives.

There are certain baseline facts such as carbon dating or material evidence like tools that are difficult to dispute. Beyond that, interpretation depends on perspective. Viewed through one lens, history may reflect the conqueror’s narrative; through another, the experience of the conquered.

This is why museums are often described either as temples or forums. A temple presents a single, authoritative narrative. A forum invites dialogue and competing viewpoints. The latter, I believe, is the more honest and productive approach.

Is there a strong interest in arts and culture in Kerala?

There is a deeply engaged and curious audience in Kerala. People are willing to travel across the State in search of cultural experiences. Yet, despite this appetite, Kerala lacks a strong contemporary art museum.

The Kochi Biennale is significant, but it is episodic. What about long-term institutional spaces that recognise resident artists who have shaped the State’s cultural landscape? There is considerable contemporary talent seeking platforms and direction.

Investing in indigenous history and culture is not merely a cultural act; it has economic implications. We are shaped by our memories. Preserving culture and history is akin to what families do when they preserve their stories. In doing so, a society preserves its soul. It is a thread that continues across generations.