From reading texts to reading data: the making of digital humanities

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence has fundamentally reshaped the landscape of digital humanities. AI's capabilities now extend far beyond basic computational support—it can generate, translate, and summarize texts, classify information, analyze speeches, and identify complex patterns that would take humans considerably longer to discern.

This evolution marks a significant shift in how scholars and researchers approach humanistic inquiry. Computational humanities, once viewed primarily as a supporting instrument for traditional research methods, is increasingly positioned as a potential participant in the research process itself. The technology enables researchers to process vast volumes of textual and linguistic data, uncovering insights and connections that might remain hidden in manual analysis.

As these tools become more sophisticated, questions arise about the role and implications of AI-assisted humanities research. The integration of machine learning and natural language processing into humanistic disciplines opens new avenues for exploration while simultaneously prompting reflection on how technology shapes intellectual inquiry and interpretation.