New Azure AI Foundry solution enhances visitor experience with real-time art recognition, personalized guidance, and secure, scalable AI
BASEL, Switzerland – June 19, 2025 – As Art Basel’s flagship fair opens its doors in Basel today, visitors can experience the world’s most prestigious art fair through an AI-powered companion app developed in partnership with Microsoft. Built using Azure AI Foundry and powered by Microsoft Copilot, the Art Basel Companion App bridges the physical and digital worlds to make the fair more personal, interactive, and accessible.
AI-powered guidance and instant art recognition
The Art Basel Companion App features a conversational AI companion for personalized recommendations, along with the Art Basel Lens for real-time artwork recognition. The Lens allows users to scan artwork and instantly receive artist and gallery information – processed in about two seconds and formatted for easy sharing or direct gallery contact.
The app synthesizes information from hundreds of galleries across multiple formats, powered by Azure OpenAI for accurate language processing and content generation.
“This collaboration is about more than technology – it’s about enriching the way people connect with art,” said Roger Altorfer, Director Customer Success Unit at Microsoft Switzerland. “By combining Art Basel’s cultural leadership with Microsoft’s AI innovation, we’re creating a more inclusive and immersive experience for every visitor.”
Secure, scalable and built for the future
Developed with UIC Digital and Valorem Reply, the solution runs on Microsoft Azure, ensuring the highest standards of security and data protection. It’s a powerful example of how generative AI can support human-centered cultural engagement without compromising trust, privacy or authenticity.
Art Basel brings together nearly half a million artists, collectors, and art enthusiasts annually across its fairs in Hong Kong, Basel, Paris, and Miami Beach. As the scale and complexity of these events has grown, the organization sought to help visitors navigate the fair, discover new artists, and engage more deeply with art—without compromising the integrity of the artworks.
The long-term vision goes beyond the fair itself: Art Basel plans to evolve the app into a year-round cultural companion, adding new layers such as wayfinding, dining tips, and curated city guides powered by AI.
