The National World War II museum is launching a new feature that takes its collection of oral histories into a new age.
Since the museum opened, there has been a World War II veteran just inside the entrance, a living piece of history who could interact with visitors and answer their questions. But the museum's VP of education and access , Pete Crean, says that can't last forever.
The World War II generation is well into its 90s, and there are fewer and fewer of them every year.
"That generation is fading into history," said Crean.
So the museum flew dozens of veterans to a recording studio in California and asked them thousands of questions -- questions about the war, the home front, and their lives.
Their responses were then combined with an artificial intelligence that can listen to questions, and find answers.
"Essentially what it allows you to do is have a conversation with that person," Crean explained. "It is you having a conversation with the veteran."
Crean says it adds a whole new dimension to the museum's collection of oral histories.
"Our approach has always been focusing on the men and women who fought in and participated in the war," he said, "and telling their stories, and this does exactly that."
Even as they themselves pass into history.
