5 Ways Archives, Libraries and Museums Remain Essential in the Age of AI

The rise of AI might make traditional information centres seem obsolete, but the reality is the opposite. Archives, libraries and museums (ALMs) are more critical than ever, serving as essential anchors in a digital landscape flooded with generated content.

1 – Guardians of Verified Knowledge 5 Ways Archives, Libraries and Museums Remain Essential in the Age of AI

ALMs protect against the risks of AI-generated misinformation by offering curated, authoritative collections.

  • Curated vs. Generated: Unlike free, general-purpose AI systems that rely on potentially biased or popularity-ranked data, ALMs provide access to evidence-based, unbiased information.
  • The Hallucination Risk: General-purpose AI models generate text based on word-sequence prediction, not fact-checking. This can lead to confident but incorrect responses or “hallucinations” as demonstrated by a legal case where a lawyer was fined for using AI-generated, non-existent case quotes.
  • Securing Facts: While algorithms forecast possibilities, libraries and archives secure and preserve facts, serving as a necessary balance to AI’s limitations.

2 – Secure Repositories for Proprietary Information

Special libraries and archives secure valuable intellectual property and organisation-specific knowledge by storing it in databases inaccessible to general-purpose AI engines.

  • Inaccessible Collections: Legal briefs, proprietary research, corporate knowledge and historical archives are often held securely in databases that are not used for ingestion by AI engines.
  • Protection of IP: This storage method not only protects intellectual property but also ensures that staff and researchers can reliably access accurate, organisation-specific knowledge.

3 – Essential Validators and Contextualises of AI Content

Librarians and archivists offer expertise that AI fundamentally cannot: context, guidance and critical evaluation.

  • Beyond Prediction: They help users navigate complex information ecosystems, authenticate sources and apply knowledge both ethically and effectively.
  • Human Judgment: They provide the human judgment and professional expertise necessary to evaluate AI-generated content, ensuring accuracy and diversity that AI systems cannot replicate.

4 – Providers of AI Literacy and Discernment Training

Libraries have a unique role in teaching users how to use AI tools effectively and critically.

  • Optimal Prompting: Libraries can leverage their information expertise to teach users how to craft effective prompts, as even minor wording changes can dramatically alter AI-generated responses.
  • Critical Thinking: They cultivate critical thinking and deep research skills, helping individuals make informed, autonomous decisions rather than relying solely on algorithmic shortcuts.

5 – Facilitators of Domain-Specific AI Tools

Just as they manage subscriptions to academic journals, libraries are poised to provide access to specialised, domain-specific AI platforms.

  • Investment in Industry Tools: Forward-thinking libraries will invest in industry-specific AI tools (like those for law or medicine), tailored to their communities.
  • Expert Guidance: Beyond just providing access, they will offer expert guidance on how to best formulate queries for these specialised, often costly, platforms.

Other ways?

What other ways can ALMs support users in the AI world we find ourselves in today? Contact us via our social channels to let us know, we would love to hear from you!