AI unlocks secrets buried for centuries

Napoleon-era letter decoded in just six hours A reproduction of a wartime letter addressed to one of Napoleon's generals written in secret code in 1809. Photo: AFP Artificial intelligence is helping researchers and enthusiasts solve historical codes that have remained unbroken for centuries, with a message commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1809 decoded in just six hours using OpenAI's latest model. Carter Church, a 27-year-old AI engineer at US cybersecurity firm SentinelOne, deciphered the coded letter detailing the positions of French and allied troops. The document had remained overlooked in an online academic archive for more than 200 years. Japanese patent engineer Satoshi Tomokiyo, who maintains an online database of unsolved ciphers, expressed mixed feelings about the technology's rapid progress, saying it was exciting to see old mysteries resolved but unsettling that difficult challenges could be overcome so easily. Beyond code-breaking, AI is transforming historical research by analysing vast collections of manuscripts and revealing writing concealed inside fragile ancient scrolls. Researchers have used the technology to virtually unroll carbonised papyri from the Roman-era eruption of Mount Vesuvius.