In Africa, it is often said that when an elder dies, a library burns to the ground. Nigerian artist Malik Afegbua is using AI to ensure those libraries stay open forever through his groundbreaking project, LegacyLink. By combining 3D scans of family heirlooms with deep-dive video interviews, Afegbua is creating “digital twins” to serve as interactive, holographic archives with which future generations can engage. Although many participants were initially skeptical—especially around sensitive topics like the Nigerian Civil War—they are now embracing the idea of immortalizing their experiences. Beyond living history, his ReMemory project uses virtual reality to reconstruct lost heritage sites, such as the ancient walls of Benin City. Together, these initiatives represent something genuinely revolutionary: using cutting-edge technology to ensure Africa’s rich oral and material heritage never disappears again.
CNN
