Not Just the Data: Holistic Frameworks for AI Use
In the past few years, many institutions have promoted the use of AI as a potential solution for tackling descriptive backlogs, identifying harmful materials, increasing access to collections, etc. Guidelines for staff use, when provided, often center around data protection, privacy, and recognizing that bias and hallucinations may affect outputs. But what other factors should we consider in order to use AI tools responsibly? This presentation will draw on existing examples and scholarship to investigate the following questions:
- What knowledge or skills are lost when we use AI to perform our own work and support the work of others?
- In what ways are we undermining the capacity to engage in scholarship and conversations about cultural heritage?
- How does AI usage contradict our institutional missions and values?
- What legacy are we leaving for future library and archives workers, stewards, and patrons?
The presentation concludes with suggestions for encouraging the responsible use of AI at our institutions, including reclaiming our agency regarding the use of AI tools and adopting policies and frameworks to guide use that represent a wide variety of voices and perspectives.