More than 650 people gathered in the historic Grote Kerk in Alkmaar, a setting that lent unusual depth to the evening’s theme. As the final resting place of 16th-century physician Pieter van Foreest, the church served not only as a venue, but as a powerful symbol — grounding the audience in centuries of scientific progress while looking ahead to an uncertain technological future. Frans Feldberg— Professor at the KIN Center for Digital Innovation and co-founder of Data Science Alkmaar — used this unique setting to inspire reflection on the implications of AI.
A highlight of the evening was a striking demonstration where AI and hologram technology brought Pieter van Foreest himself back to life — right in the very church where he was buried in 1597. It was a powerful blend of history and technology that prompted the audience to think not only about how far we've come, but also about the future we want to shape. This fusion of the past and present deepened the very question posed at the start: Is artificial intelligence a truly "new miracle"?