ARDION: An Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Enhanced Extended Reality (XR) Platform for Interactive Heritage Narratives at Ancient Dodona, Greece

Abstract This paper presents the results of the ARDION project, an AI-supported extended reality (XR) platform designed to enhance the visitor experience at the archaeological site of Ancient Dodona through gamified augmented reality (AR), geolocation technologies, and participatory storytelling. Framed within current trends in digital heritage and experiential learning, ARDION introduces a fully operational system that empowers experts, educators, and citizens to co-create personalized mobile guides using an intuitive, web-based platform. These guides offer immersive, multilingual content tailored to the diverse needs and preferences of visitors. The project’s theoretical framework draws from location-based AR, human-centered gamification principles, and adaptive narrative design. Following a user-driven development methodology, ARDION has been validated through summer camps, focus groups, and participatory prototyping. A key innovation is the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) to support the narrative-creation process: users are assisted by AI agents in drafting stories, refining content, suggesting narrative elements, and generating visual emblems based on contextual metadata. The paper discusses implications for digital heritage professionals, educators, and cultural site managers, highlighting the potential of such tools to foster engagement, learning, and inclusive access to cultural storytelling.