The rise of AI might make traditional information centers 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
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 organization-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, organization-specific knowledge.
3 – Essential Validators and Contextualizes 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 patrons how to use AI tools effectively and critically.
- Optimal Prompting: Libraries can leverage their information expertise to teach patrons 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 specialized, 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 specialized, often costly, platforms.
Other ways?
What other ways can ALMs support patrons 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!