The Dawn of AI in Libraries: Exploring the Impact of ChatGPT and Gemini on Reference Service

The Dawn of AI in Libraries: Exploring the Impact of ChatGPT and Gemini on Reference Service

Lightning Talk at the 2024 CALA Midwest Annual Conference

Sheu, Feng-Ru

Chinese American Librarians Association

2024-05-24

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

video/mp4

eng

Video

The development of AI technology is transforming the information landscape and changing library services. There has been a rapid emergence of related research and discussion on the potential of AI in reference services and its impact on information users and professionals. As the impact of AI on information services continues to grow, further research is needed to explore its full potential as well as the issues and challenges associated with AI in this field. We conducted a study exploring the potential impact of Generative AI on library reference services, especially utilizing Generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT and Gemini (formally Google Bard), to answer selected general academic library reference questions. The study assesses the applicability of current reference service guidelines, such as the ALA RUSA Standards, Guidelines, and Recommendations. We prompt each selected frequently asked general reference question to the AI tools and analyze the responses regarding general quality from a reference services perspective. The presentation aims to share the preliminary results, provide insights into the resulting potential impacts, gaps, and opportunities, and explore where Generative AI can be helpful.