Artificial Intelligence for the Preservation and Transmission of Non-Material Cultural Heritage: Opportunities, Ethical Challenges, and Future Directions

Non-Material Cultural Heritage (ICH), encompassing vital traditions, knowledge, and skills, faces significant threats from modernization and declining transmission. Although traditional conservation methods have fundamental value, they are often insufficient in terms of scale, accessibility and dynamic presentation. This paper explores the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to offer innovative approaches for the documentation, preservation, and transmission of ICH. We identify several promising AI application areas, including intelligent documentation, virtual representation, personalized learning, and assisted creation. While AI applications offer significant potential, this paper concludes that their responsible deployment necessitates addressing critical ethical risks such as data ownership and authenticity. Therefore, a conceptual framework understanding AI's dual role, coupled with community-centric ethical guidelines, is vital. This research ultimately highlights that interdisciplinary collaboration is crucial for ensuring AI genuinely empowers and vitalizes ICH for future generations.