HSUHK Research Explores AI’s Role in Historical Newspaper Preservation and Research
Researchers from The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK) have published a study examining how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the preservation, accessibility, and analysis of historical newspapers. The research, titled Transforming Historical Newspaper Research and Preservation Through AI: A Global Perspective, was authored by Dr Howard Song, Dr Cheung Kwok-wai, and Jia Ziyun from HSUHK’s School of Communication and published in the journal Journalism and Media.
The study explores how AI technologies, including optical character recognition (OCR), natural language processing (NLP), and large language models (LLMs), are enhancing archival processes by improving text extraction, image restoration, metadata creation, and historical data analysis. Advanced AI tools can process damaged documents, multilingual materials, and complex newspaper layouts while helping researchers conduct deeper analysis through sentiment detection, cross-language research, and discourse tracking.
Based on global case studies, the research highlights AI’s potential to convert historical newspapers from static archives into searchable and analyzable digital resources. However, the authors also emphasize the importance of addressing challenges such as data bias, authenticity, and responsible AI implementation, with human oversight remaining essential.
The study supports HSUHK’s ongoing efforts to preserve Hong Kong’s newspaper heritage, including an RGC-funded project focused on safeguarding historical business journalism records. By combining AI with archival expertise, the research contributes to digital humanities and promotes wider public access to cultural heritage.
