The Documentary Film as Knowledge Management: How AI Enables the Preservation and Reconstruction of Collective Memory
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31937/ultimacomm.v18i1.4863Keywords:
documentary film, knowledge management, artificial intelligence, collective memory, digital preservationAbstract
This paper examines documentary film as a dynamic knowledge management (KM) system, interrogating how artificial intelligence (AI) technologies mediate the preservation, organization, and reconstruction of collective memory. The central research question asks: in what ways does AI function as an enabler within documentary production to transform fragmented social memories into structured, accessible, and enduring collective knowledge? Drawing on a conceptual framework that synthesizes KM theory with media studies and collective memory scholarship, this study employs a qualitative analytical approach, mapping the documentary production process against four core KM stages which are knowledge creation, organization, storage, and dissemination. The analysis reveals that AI substantially enhances the efficiency, accuracy, and scalability of each stage, producing four distinct knowledge outputs: preserved collective memory, reconstructed fragmented memory, an informed citizenry, and historical accountability. The framework further identifies five critical ethical dimensions namely algorithmic bias, representation and power relations, digital access inequity, data privacy, and authenticity, that must be addressed to ensure responsible implementation. This paper contributes theoretically by repositioning documentary film not merely as a communicative artefact but as an AI-augmented knowledge management instrument capable of sustaining inclusive and accurate collective memory across generations.
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