Synthetic Memories is a heritage preservation initiative that recreates and preserves personal memories at risk of being lost or never visually documented. It converts spoken and written descriptions into visual images using generative AI, helping individuals—especially those experiencing memory loss due to ageing, displacement, or neurological diseases—reconnect with their past and maintain identity. 

Through guided sessions involving an interviewer, the individual, and an AI prompter, participants describe memories which are transformed into AI-generated visual representations. These are refined collaboratively to ensure they accurately reflect the memory, resulting in a tangible printed and digital 'Memory Vector'. The intentionally blurred, dream-like aesthetic of the images mirrors the fluid and interpretive nature of human memory itself. This process supports individuals affected by displacement or conflict, offers reminiscence therapy for early-stage dementia, aids in mental health recovery, and helps preserve cultural and architectural heritage. 

The project, started by Barcelona-based collective Domestic Data Streamers and sits at the intersection of art, technology, cognitive psychology, and social innovation. It fosters intergenerational and cross-cultural dialogue while addressing ethical considerations such as informed consent, GDPR data protection, and proactively mitigating AI biases by fine-tuning models with diverse, culturally relevant datasets. It serves as a prototype for the public sector, health institutions, and cultural organizations to engage with subjective memory preservation. 

Launched as pilot research in 2022 by Domestic Data Streamers, a Barcelona-based collective, it expanded significantly with the Citizens' Office of Synthetic Memories at the Design Hub Barcelona (DHub) from May to July 2024. This free public service functioned as a prototype for new municipal services. It enabled visitors to generate and contribute personal stories to the city's intangible cultural archive, with 245 visual memories reconstructed. The exhibition merged art and scientific dissemination, showcasing AI’s role in memory reconstruction and welcoming 10,905 visitors. 

The initiative continues expanding through scientific research, artistic collaborations, and human rights advocacy. It works with institutions like the University of Toronto and University of British Columbia on reminiscence therapy research for dementia, and with Emirates Health Services and Al Amal Hospital (UAE) on similar pilot programs. Early experiments were conducted in Barcelona Nursing Homes. Other academic partners include the University of Southern California (AI in media literacy), Elisava School of Design & Engineering of Barcelona (community engagement impact), Polytechnic University of Catalonia (accessibility tools), and the School of Visual Arts of New York (ethical boundaries). 

It explores new forms of memory storytelling and supports migrant communities, such as the chapter at Casa do Povo in São Paulo focusing on displacement and urban change, by reconstructing memories that can serve as advocacy tools. The project aims to preserve cultural, natural, and architectural heritage and foster intergenerational dialogue, involving both older and younger generations, thereby reducing loneliness and bridging the digital gap. Collective sharing through exhibitions, murals, or documentaries amplifies the impact of these reconstructed memories. 

Artist collective: Domestic Data Streamers 
Curation: Domestic Data Streamers and José Luis de Vicente 

The names of all team members of DDS have been organized according to the age at which they had their first memory: 
Matilde Sartori, Alex Johnstone, Martina Nadal, Ignasi Monfort i Amat, Irene Altaió Carné, Marçal Cid, Natalia Santolaria, Ivett Yunga Vera, Maria Moreso Vinals, Iolanda Monsó Curia, Joana Bisbe, Arantza Loza, Blanca Navarro Nieto, Pau Ventosa San Martino, Dani Verano, Marc Conangla, Pol Valverde i Valverde, Anton Zyrianov, Juan Aritzi, Lucia Bona, Esteban Piacentino, Self Else, Clara Vituri, Nicolas Olmos López, Helena Galí i Bonet, Axel Gasulla Rogla, Ander Alvaro, Pau Aleikum, Marta Handenawer, Santi Cros 

Design and mediation of participatory workshops: Anais Esmerado 
Office staff: Marina Olivares, Ainoa Pubill, Misty Virginia Frantum, and Anna Bocciai 
Associate researcher: Prof. Alex Mihailidis 
Museographic design: Gennis Senén and Ignasi Ávila Padró 
Guest artist: Anna Roura 
Photography: Marc Asensio and Elisabet Mateu 
Audiovisuals: Valentina Lazo, Gerard Vidal and Rodrigo Traverso 
Linguistic review: María del Mar Garrocho Blázquez ​ 
Special thanks: Kevin Slavin, Simone Ross and Olga Subiros 

With support from: BIT Habitat – Innovation agency from Barcelona City Council;  
Disseny Hub Barcelona (DHub); Institut Ramon Llull 

Domestic Data Streamers (DDS) is a Barcelona-based collective of journalists, researchers, coders, artists, data scientists, and designers. Since 2013, they’ve been exploring new ways to communicate data and its social impact. Their work spans films, installations, performances, exhibitions, and digital experiences, presented in diverse spaces like schools, prisons, cinemas, museums, city streets, and even the United Nations Headquarters. With projects in over 45 countries, DDS has collaborated with institutions such as Tate Modern, the Hong Kong Design Institute, and the California Academy of Sciences. Rooted in the belief that data should tell human stories, DDS focuses on creating physical and emotional experiences that connect people to complex topics. Over the years, one of their research lines expanded to how artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes memory, identity, and truth. This interest grew naturally from their work in data storytelling, where they questioned how digital systems record, alter, and reinterpret human experiences. As generative AI tools became more accessible, DDS began exploring how these technologies could impact collective and personal memory. These questions led to the creation of Synthetic Memories, a long-term research project examining AI-generated memories and their social consequences. Initial research focused on supporting early-stage dementia patients, later expanding to address broader societal needs including migrant community support and intergenerational dialogue. DDS’s commitment to exploring the human side of data made this a natural progression. Their previous works, such as 730 Hours of Violence (2021), Data Heartbreak (2022), and Digital Cartography of Human Connection (2023), laid the groundwork by tackling themes of connection, trauma, and shared narratives. Drawing from their extensive experience in physical exhibitions—where data becomes something tangible and felt—DDS launched The Citizens' Office of Synthetic Memories in 2024. This innovative space served as both an exhibition and a public service, where citizens could reconstruct and preserve their memories using AI technology. The project exemplified DDS's vision of making advanced technology accessible while fostering social connection and cultural preservation. This project invited people to reflect on memory in the digital age by interacting with AI-generated recollections. Through The Citizens' Office of Synthetic Memories, DDS continues its mission to turn data into meaningful, human centered experiences—making the invisible visible and sparking conversations about the world we’re building with AI. 

Synthetic Memories is a socially engaged heritage preservation project that uses generative AI to reconstruct personal memories at risk of being lost—especially those never visually recorded. Through guided interviews, participants recount experiences, which are translated into AI-generated visuals that evolve through collaborative refinement. This intimate process supports individuals affected by displacement, trauma, or neurodegenerative diseases, allowing them to reconnect with their personal histories, restore a sense of identity, and dignify their lived experiences. By operating at the intersection of storytelling, technology, and emotional healing, the project reimagines how memory can be preserved and honored in the digital age. 

Launched in 2023 by Domestic Data Streamers and expanded in 2024 with the Citizens’ Office of Synthetic Memories at the Design Hub Barcelona, the initiative has evolved into a prototype for memory-based municipal services and public archives. The project’s participatory model fosters intergenerational and cross-cultural dialogue while engaging with the ethical tensions between subjective memory and AI interpretation. With over 10,900 visitors and 300 memory reconstruction sessions during its exhibition period, the project demonstrates the potential of AI as a tool for collective remembrance and therapeutic support. It continues to grow through academic collaborations, artistic exploration, and partnerships in the fields of mental health, migration, and human rights. 

The jury recognizes Synthetic Memories as a powerful and constructive example of how AI can be used not to replace memory, but to engage with it for reflection, healing, and intergenerational exchange. It takes a comprehensive and ethically sensitive approach to the culture of remembrance—highlighting how technology can support identity formation and emotional well-being, particularly among vulnerable communities. In doing so, it reframes AI not as a neutral tool, but as an active participant in shaping how we recall, process, and share the stories that define us.