Italian Tourism’s New ‘Virtual Influencer’ Venus and AI Cameras to Monitor Traffic Violations

Italy’s tourist ministry has created a new advertising campaign to promote the country’s beauty through the use of an “influencer” in the form of Venus, the goddess of love depicted in famous paintings by Sandro Botticelli.

Using artificial intelligence technology, Venus has been transformed into a “virtual influencer” who can be seen eating pizza by Lake Como, riding a bike in front of the Colosseum, and taking photos in St. Mark’s Square. The campaign, called “Open to Wonder,” was created by the National Tourism Agency and the Ministry of Tourism and will be promoted on social media with the handle @venereitalia23.

The initiative seeks to showcase Italy’s hidden corners and most famous cities to international visitors. The announcement from the Ministry of Tourism stated, “We welcome Botticelli’s iconic Venus, who lends her face to tell of our beauty, from the most famous big cities to the most hidden corners of Italy.”

Meanwhile, in India, the southern state of Kerala has launched the “Safe Kerala” project, which will use artificial intelligence cameras to identify traffic violations and impose fines. The state’s motor vehicle department has installed 726 AI cameras that will initially target offenses such as not wearing helmets while riding a two-wheeler, riding with more than two passengers, using a phone while driving, and speeding through traffic lights. The cameras will send photos of the violations and the drivers to the control room of the Motor Vehicles Department, which is expected to issue up to 30,000 penalty notifications in a single day. The project aims to create a safer driving environment and eliminate the need for roadside policing.

Re-reported from the story originally published in https://www.wionews.com/