Industry
Civic & Tourism
Location
Camden Town, London
Model
Public realm voice guide
Scope
Pilot 2 proposed, borough-wide
The Challenge
Camden Town is one of London's busiest and most distinctive destinations - but also one of the hardest to navigate. All along the high street, behind the market stalls and the crowds sits a dense layer of independent traders, music history and local stories that a generic map, or a generic AI chatbot, would never surface. The London Borough of Camden wanted to know whether a conversational AI guide could hold its own in the wild: a noisy, crowded public street rather than a controlled gallery room, and speak with Camden's own distinctive character rather than a generic assistant's voice.
The Solution
Dwel worked with the London Borough of Camden to run a closed pilot encompassing the full pedestrianised stretch of the high street, from Camden Town tube station up to the iconic Lock.
Designed to give the Camden team a first-hand perspective on the potential for an AI-powered visitor companion, the experience incorporated four distinct Camden voices, each with a specific role to play: the voice of Camden itself, acting as introductory guide; Riff, the rebellious spirit of Camden's music heritage; Maggie, a slightly eccentric historian specialising in Camden's rich stories; and Jay, the voice of the Camden community. Each character was designed in collaboration with the council team, and they all had access to a wealth of content to ground every conversation, all verified by Camden experts.
The Results
A large group of Camden stakeholders was invited to test the experience, exploring the high street they knew so well but seeing it through entirely new eyes. Their experience confirmed much of the insight being generated from other pilots - that conversational AI-powered audio has the ability to delight and enthrall even expert audiences.
Some found a comfortable seat and happily chatted away for 20-30 minutes or more; others explored the high street with the guide of their choice alongside.
“Dwel gave us a valuable demonstration of how conversational AI can enhance visitor engagement and interpretation.”
Looking Ahead
As a result of this experience, the Camden team is exploring the potential to expand the next phase beyond the high street, collaborating on an approach designed to connect visitors to cultural experiences, heritage assets, public spaces and local businesses they may not otherwise discover.
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