How AI Imagines Ohrid in the 27th Century: From Digital Heritage to “Legends of the Future”

Ohrid is globally recognized not only for its natural beauty, but also for a cultural continuum that spans centuries—layered architecture, sacred spaces, and artistic traditions that have shaped the identity of the region. UNESCO describes Ohrid as one of Europe’s oldest human settlements, with a dense concentration of Byzantine-era heritage and landmark sites built largely between the 7th and 19th centuries. UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Against this backdrop, Prof. Dr. Anis Sefidanis and his team have explored a provocative question: what would Ohrid look like in the 27th century if a machine were asked to extrapolate the city’s future from patterns in culture, infrastructure, and human behavior? In an interview published by Inovativnost in September 2022, Sefidanis presented an illustrated science-fiction concept titled “Ohrid Legends of the Future”—described as an AI-generated novel in which both text and visuals are created through artificial intelligence. Иновативност

According to the interview, the work was produced using a high-performance computing setup owned and operated by Sefidanis, characterized in the coverage as a unique “supercomputer” environment locally available to his R&D efforts. Иновативност+1 The creative pipeline combined large datasets and deep-learning methods to generate long-form narrative content and to synthesize accompanying imagery—positioning the result as a hybrid of speculative storytelling and computational simulation of complex systems. Иновативност

The same coverage frames the project as more than a one-off experiment: it is presented as part of a broader “digital humanity” trajectory—where advanced AI systems are used to interpret, reconstruct, and communicate cultural memory, while also prototyping future-facing narratives. Иновативност+1 In the interview, Sefidanis also pointed to the next step: building cloud-based infrastructure where individuals and institutions could train AI systems on their own data for applications spanning industrial automation, research, and digital arts. Иновативност

A Deutsche Welle video feature later amplified this theme for a wider audience, presenting AI’s visualization of Ohrid in the 27th century and linking it to the creation of an AI-generated novel using a supercomputer. Time.mk+2Facebook+2

Importantly, the “future Ohrid” narrative connects to real-world deployments of interactive cultural technology already implemented through Sefidanis-led work. One example publicly highlighted in 2025 is the “Smart Monument” concept—described as integrating AI and virtual/augmented reality to enable hands-free, offline interaction with digital cultural artifacts without requiring external devices, and reported as protected by a patent valid until 2044. LinkedIn A scholarly yearbook from 2024 similarly discusses the “Virtual Prlichev” concept as an interactive, dialog-based approach to transmitting cultural heritage through human–machine interaction in public space. e-lib.ugd.edu.mk

This continuity—from interactive monuments, to AI-driven cultural narratives, to speculative urban futures—reflects a single strategic direction: using advanced computation not to replace heritage, but to extend how heritage can be experienced, interpreted, and re-imagined across time. Иновативност+2LinkedIn+2

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References and original publication dates

1. Inovativnost — “Kaков е Охрид од 27 век? Открива професорот Анис Сефиданис со помош на вештачка интелигенција” (24 September 2022). Иновативност
2. Deutsche Welle (DW Macedonian) — video feature referenced as “Како би изгледал Охрид во 27. век?” / “Прв роман создаден од вештачка интелигенција” (20 May 2023). Time.mk+2Facebook+2
3. University yearbook (UGD e-library) — Годишен зборник 2024 / Yearbook 2024 (document published 2024; cites the DW interview as 2023 and discusses “Ohridski predanija za idninata” and “Virtual Prlichev”). e-lib.ugd.edu.mk
4. LinkedIn (Ohrid Tech City / Riste Mise post) — “UIST, Ohrid and Macedonia get first patent on AR/VR technology for ‘Smart Monument’” (post shown as “7mo” old on LinkedIn; content reports patent validity until 2044 and describes hands-free offline interaction). LinkedIn
5. UNESCO World Heritage Centre — “Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid region” (UNESCO WHC listing/video page; accessed for background on Ohrid’s heritage significance). UNESCO World Heritage Centre