Rome Launches Julia, an AI Chatbot for Cultural Tourism and City Services

Since March 7, 2025, Rome has introduced Julia, the first virtual assistant designed specifically for the Italian capital, aimed at making the city more accessible for residents, tourists, and pilgrims during the Jubilee year. Julia provides real-time, reliable information on cultural events, mobility, hospitality, and Jubilee celebrations. Unlike standard chatbots, Julia is built on a certified knowledge base fed by official data from Rome's municipal government and other validated sources, ensuring that information on public transport schedules, civil protection emergencies, or restaurant recommendations is always accurate. The project is a collaboration between Microsoft, which engineered the GPT-4 model, and NTT Data, which handled technological development. Julia is available on WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger, and web chat, supporting over 80 languages. The initiative was championed by Mayor Roberto Gualtieri and overseen by Professor Antonio Preiti. Rome positions itself among the first international cities to adopt AI for improving urban services, particularly addressing the long-standing need for transparent, direct access to information about artistic events.