The age of AI presents many unique challenges for libraries–but also real opportunities. In many ways, disruption is a part of the library’s business model!
How is Disruption an Opportunity?
When technological disruption occurs, libraries help their communities navigate the change. Simply look to the past for guidance; the rise of the internet saw libraries help patrons learn to use email, browse the web, and otherwise upskill. We taught effective information seeking behaviors as search engines arrived. The internet eliminated or displaced some occupations, and created new ones. Libraries helped our users navigate this new job market with lifelong learning opportunities, resume assistance, and new job search strategies.
In the age of AI, we will similarly need to show our public how to seek accurate information with effective AI prompting that mitigates the potential for hallucination. We’ll need to teach new media literacy strategies to discern deepfakes and AI generated images and audio. With even optimistic predictions expecting significant job displacement as a result of AI, our users will need us to provide reskilling, and assistance with job seeking in a rapidly changing labor market.
Our Brand is Strong in the Age of AI
Our brand has evolved beyond books. Today, the library represents accurate information, respect for user privacy, a sense of community, and digital literacy. All of these values will be at a premium in the age of AI. Artificial intelligence represents a complicating factor in the information landscape–it has increased the quantity of information, but not necessarily its quality! Our skill as effective information navigators, able to provide provenance for the info we provide is a valuable commodity. Limited memory AI typically ingests user interactions as data–a privacy intrusion. Our commitment to maintaining user confidentiality is a selling point for libraries, and allows freedom of inquiry.
We are community centers, a physical gathering point (even as we maintain effective digital branches) in an increasingly digital, impersonal world. Those human connections are essential, and are, in part, why libraries are among the most trusted institutions in the United States. The space we inhabit as the trusted, thriving heart of our community with digital literacy bona fides, makes us natural partners for state, local and federal government, as they seek to understand, regulate, and otherwise shape AI’s rollout.
Until Next Time!
I have a lot to say on this topic–so I suspect I’ll revisit it soon. With all that’s been left unsaid, I hope you’ve found this piece interesting, and potentially useful! Below are some items of interest:
- I’ll be providing a keynote for the 2024 University of Johannesburg Library International Conference (June 11-12). The conference theme is “Unpacking AI for Teaching, Learning and Research,” and my talk will be “The New Information Frontier: How Libraries Will Lead the Way in the Age of AI“. You can register for the virtual conference here.
- I provided an interview to American Libraries Magazine for their article “The World of AI”. You can access the article here.
- As always, if you need a speaker for your conference, event, or staff training day–let’s connect!