Virtual Heritage & AI

This paper presents a preliminary investigation focused on the development of a Virtual Heritage environment with an historical AI-enabled Non-Player Character (NPC) called Isabella Bird. The primary objective is to explore the potential of natural language interactions facilitated by the NPC to inform and engage users within a virtual environment. To evaluate the effectiveness of the NPC in supporting learning outcomes and minimizing the cognitive load experienced by participants, a research methodology involving the collection of quantitative and qualitative data is proposed. By examining the efficacy of the AI-enabled NPC this investigation contributes to our understanding of leveraging Artificial intelligence to enhance educational achievement and user engagement within Virtual Heritage environments.