Drones, lasers, and artificial intelligence in the world's most famous cathedral. An ambitious project has launched.

Artificial intelligence is supporting the preservation of cultural heritage. Thanks to a collaboration between Microsoft, the French government, and the start-up Iconem, it will soon be possible to take a virtual tour of one of the world's most famous monuments – the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris.

The Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris is getting its own "digital twin." Thanks to a collaboration between the French government, Microsoft , and the French startup Iconem , a virtual version of the restored church is being created, all using drones, lasers, and artificial intelligence.

"Hundreds of years later, thanks to this precise digital documentation, future generations will be able to recreate the cathedral as it looks today," Brad Smith, a Microsoft vice president, told APNews.

Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris / Unsplash, Hanvin Cheong

After a fire in 2019 and a five-year, $900 million renovation, Notre-Dame has regained its former glory. Now it's moving into the next phase—digital.

The project involves creating a precise three-dimensional replica of the cathedral using images taken by drones, ground-based cameras, and laser scanners. The collected data will be processed by artificial intelligence algorithms.

The project has two main goals. First, documentation . The digital model will provide future conservators with an accurate record of the cathedral's architectural details, facilitating potential repairs or reconstructions. Microsoft's AI can even detect minor structural damage based on image analysis.

Secondly, accessibility. The finished model will be made available online as a virtual tour. Users from around the world will be able to explore the interior of Notre-Dame from their computer or smartphone. While such a visit certainly won't replace the real thing, the virtual version of Notre-Dame offers a chance to get closer to one of Europe's most important monuments.

It's worth noting that this isn't the first time Iconem and Microsoft have undertaken a similar project. In 2023, they partnered with the Vatican to recreate St. Peter's Basilica in Rome , using 400,000 photos.