The Catholic Church may be known for its ancient rituals, but that doesn’t mean its leaders shy away from modern innovations.

Vatican officials recently partnered with Microsoft and adopted artificial intelligence to make a famous Catholic site safer and more accessible to those who may never reach Vatican City.

The project used “400,000 high-resolution digital photos taken with drones, cameras and lasers” and artificial intelligence to create a “digital twin” of St. Peter’s Basilica. Associated Press.

you can type Use “Twin” online and enjoy the beauty of the famous church from the comfort of your desk.

Microsoft president Brad Smith said of the effort at a press conference in the Vatican: “This is literally one of the most technologically advanced and complex projects of its kind ever pursued.”

New digital copy The view of St. Peter’s Basilica and the associated digital tour make it possible to see and examine almost every square centimeter of the famous building.

“The ultra-precise 3D copy, developed in collaboration with digital preservation company Iconem, contains 22 petabytes of data, enough to fill five million DVDs,” the Associated Press reported.

Interested visitors will use the digital tour to get a taste of Vatican City from afar, while experts at historic sites will use it to identify problems such as cracks that need to be addressed to keep the church safe, the article said.

According to The Associated Press, “The images have already detected structural damage and signs of deterioration, such as missing mosaic pieces, cracks, and cracks, with a speed and precision far beyond human capabilities.”

The article noted that in a recent meeting with the Microsoft team, Pope Francis thanked them for helping maintain St. Peter’s Basilica and opening it up to the world.

“Everyone, in fact everyone, should be welcome in this wonderful home,” he said.