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AI「解码」古罗马,重现千年铭文真相,DeepMind新模型再登Nature
3 6 Ke·2025-08-12 03:24

Core Insights - The article discusses the introduction of Aeneas, a multimodal generative AI tool developed by DeepMind, which aids archaeologists in interpreting and restoring ancient inscriptions, significantly enhancing their research capabilities [1][9]. Group 1: Aeneas Overview - Aeneas is a multimodal generative neural network that assists historians in better interpreting, attributing, and restoring fragmented texts [1][9]. - It can analyze a vast collection of Latin inscriptions, providing context and meaning to isolated fragments, thus leading to richer conclusions about ancient history [9][10]. Group 2: Functionality and Accuracy - Aeneas can predict the dating of inscriptions within a 13-year range with a 72% accuracy rate, categorizing them into one of 62 ancient Roman provinces [9][10]. - It can repair damaged inscriptions with up to 73% accuracy for segments missing up to ten characters, and 58% accuracy when the length of the missing text is unknown [9][10]. Group 3: Historical Context and Applications - The tool is designed to handle various ancient languages and mediums, expanding its utility to connect broader historical evidence [10]. - Aeneas utilizes a large and reliable dataset, incorporating decades of historical research, to create a historical fingerprint for each inscription, allowing for contextual analysis [13]. Group 4: Case Study - Aeneas was applied to analyze the famous inscription "Res Gestae Divi Augusti," providing a probability distribution for its dating rather than a fixed date, reflecting the ongoing scholarly debate [15][17]. - The model's predictions highlight the nuances in language and historical context, offering a new quantitative approach to historical debates [15][17]. Group 5: Future Implications - The application of AI in archaeology is gaining traction, with institutions like Fudan University offering courses on AI archaeology, indicating a growing need for tools like Aeneas to sift through vast amounts of historical data [17].