The Second Life of Notre Dame: Microsoft Backs a Digital Resurrection
In 2018, Yves Ubelmann declined to digitize Notre Dame. Months later, it burned. Now, with Microsoft's backing, his startup Iconem is building a photorealistic "digital twin" of the Parisian cathedral—one that can track structural cracks, aid restorations and reveal hidden details to the public. The partnership also underscores a new ambition: making A.I. multilingual before it rewrites the world in English.
