Cultural heritage institutions are increasingly adopting advanced technologies to enhance accessibility for a diverse range of visitors, including those with disabilities. This paper aims to investigate the deployment of AI-powered telepresence robots within cultural institutions, focusing on their potential to expand access and enrich the museum experience. Through the adoption of the research framework for Managing an Accessible Approach to Cultural Participation in a multiple case study, this research underscores the role of telepresence robots in surmounting both physical and geographical barriers. The findings illustrate that these telepresence robots facilitate remote users in curating personalized experiences in real-time, while simultaneously promoting inclusivity and enabling cultural heritage institutions to engage a broader audience. Furthermore, the study delves into the challenges and opportunities associated with integrating such technologies from a management perspective. It emphasizes the necessity for participatory stakeholder engagement and articulates the advantages of offering diverse cultural experiences. These insights contribute meaningfully to the expanding discourse surrounding the role of artificial intelligence in fostering more accessible and engaging artistic experiences, ultimately highlighting the transformative potential of technology in cultural heritage.

This chapter investigates grassroots museums as context for a bottom-up shaping of value propositions in the cultural heritage domain. Public Service Logic (PSL) informs the analysis to highlight the interplay among the users, public service organizations, and the community in furthering the value of cultural heritage in the societal realm. A multiple-case study analysis leads to considering such museums as contrasting the lack of participation at a communitarian level addressed by PSL scholars.

This study investigated how generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems—now increasingly integrated into public services—respond to different technical configurations, and how these configurations affect the perceived quality of the outputs. Drawing on an experimental evaluation of Govern-AI, a chatbot designed for professionals in the social, educational, and labor sectors, we analyzed the impact of the temperature parameter—which controls the degree of creativity and variability in the responses—on two key dimensions: accuracy and comprehensibility. This analysis was based on 8880 individual evaluations collected from five professional profiles. The findings revealed the following: (1) the high-temperature responses were generally more comprehensible and appreciated, yet less accurate in strategically sensitive contexts; (2) professional groups differed significantly in their assessments, where trade union representatives and regional policy staff expressed more critical views than the others; (3) the type of question—whether operational or informational—significantly influenced the perceived output quality. This study demonstrated that the AI performance was far from neutral: it depended on technical settings, usage contexts, and the profiles of the end users. Investigating these “behind-the-scenes” dynamics is essential for fostering the informed governance of AI in public services, and for avoiding the risk of technology functioning as an opaque black box within decision-making processes.

This study investigates the integration of chatbot technology within public cultural institutions, to evaluate its impact on the value creation process. Theoretically based on the Public Service Logic, the research employs a qualitative methodology on a single case study, analyzing data collected from over 3,400 users during a 25-day pilot phase. The results indicate a high level of user acceptance, with 97.4% of visitors opting not to seek human assistance, and an average engagement time of 3 minutes and 9 seconds, reflecting significant interaction and interest. These findings underscore the potential of AI-driven solutions to improve service delivery and value creation process in public cultural settings. The implications suggest that the adoption of digital technologies can play a crucial role in shaping the value creation process and the way public institutions engage with their audiences, ultimately fostering greater accessibility and satisfaction across various sectors.