How many times do we look at a place and wonder: what would it say if it could speak? The stories of places, often little-known yet invaluable, are the starting point for this idea.

The first in a series of walkable routes is the Machado de Assis Literary Route, a cultural journey through the paths of the renowned writer, a pillar of Brazilian literature and an iconic figure in the global literary scene. A georeferenced app guides the way, pointing out points of interest. However, unlike other audio guides, this innovative approach gives voice to the city’s places through audio.

The distinguishing feature is creativity: the stories are told through cleverly crafted scripts powered by generative artificial intelligence. The scripts are playful, turning Machadian landmarks in the old center of Rio de Janeiro (the author’s hometown) into characters that recount episodes from the life and work of Brazil’s greatest writer. Sound effects bring the narratives to life, and the voices in the recordings, generated by artificial intelligence (AI), offer a wide range of vocal tones for the best possible experience, available in two languages (Portuguese and English – the Spanish version will be released soon).

This creative and innovative collaboration was made possible by the partnership between the QMTL – What Else Is There? and OaC – Listen to the City platforms, which enhance the visibility of literary routes, creating a cultural, historical, and tourist value network. In early 2024, QMTL and OaC won the Literary Routes Challenge, an initiative by Embratur (the Brazilian Agency for International Tourism Promotion) that sought creative and effective ideas to promote literary tourism in the country.