This document discusses large language models and their potential impact on academic and research libraries. It notes that while the core mission of libraries will remain unchanged, AI is already transforming how libraries operate and will continue to do so. It outlines both current limitations of technologies like large language models as well as potential applications in academia, publishing, and libraries themselves, including for instructional support and developing library applications. The document raises questions about policies libraries have regarding AI/LLMs, their impact so far, staff capacity for educating users, and the potential role of LLMs in libraries in the next five years.

1. Large Language Models:
Immediate Challenges,
Long-term Opportunities
Mimi Calter
mimi@wustl.edu
22 August 2023
From Gutenberg to ChatGPT : Will AI change the mission of Academic & Research Libraries?

2. Will AI change the mission of
Academic & Research Libraries?
No, mission is core
BUT
AI is already changing the
way we work and will
continue to do so
Uncertainty
Hockey
stick
adoption
curve
Managing
change
Disruptive
technology

3. Rapid growth

4. Artificial
Intelligence
Machine
Learning
Generative
AI
Large
Language
Models
Large
Language
Models

6. Limitations
•Training set
restrictions
•Hallucination
•Bias

7. Applications & Activities
Academia
• Pedagogy
• Research
• Policy
Publishing
• Copyright
• Acknowledging
Authorship
Libraries
• Instructional
Support
• Library
Applications

8. Questions for discussion
• Does your organization have policies or procedures already in
place that impact the use of large language models, or other AI
tools?
• What has been their impact?
• What level of capacity does your staff have to educate users
and patrons about LLMs and other AI tools?
• Will programs here at IFLA support that effort
• What role do you see LLMs playing in libraries in 5 years?