Welcome to the SLAAIT Knowledge Base
The Full SLAAIT: Issue 11 | October 29, 2024
View this issue in Smore.
In this issue…
Library applications of AI in practice, global survey report, and AI during this election season.
In addition, please let Leila know via email, Google Groups, or message on Slack if you have any news you’d like me to share on our future newsletters.
Update to SLAAIT resources
Big thank you to SLAAIT’s Kim Silk and Rachel Dietch for making some incredible improvements to our bibliography. Please check out the new resources here. There’s a new categorization system, including headings like AI in the Workforce, SLAAIT Resources, and AI Dangers and Downsides.
Upcoming summative meeting for SLAAIT’s phase one
Summative meeting for the first phase of SLAAIT will be upcoming on December 3-4. Save the date, and more details will be announced soon.
New algorithm decreases AI’s energy consumption significantly
Interesting Engineering offers a report about a breakthrough in computing that will reduce AI’s massive energy demands. BitEnergy AI is behind this development, though the article cautions that there are challenges to widespread adoption. Thanks to Dianne for supplying this info!
California college’s librarians lead workshop on ethics and AI usage
Cosumnes River College’s student newspaper reported on a workshop that their college’s librarians offered on the ethics of AI usage. Librarians instructed student participants on potential applications, biases of, and financial considerations related to using artificial intelligence. The Sacramento, CA based college is offering another workshop for students tomorrow. Hosting a workshop of one’s own might be a good place to start for librarians looking to educate patrons on AI.
Clarivate publishes global survey results regarding libraries and AI
Clarivate, a data and analytics company, published a global library survey addressing the use of AI. The full report can be viewed as a PDF from this link. Seventy-six percent of respondents were from academic libraries, and nearly half were from the US. Findings from the report indicate that academic libraries are “uniquely positioned to leverage AI for advancing scholarly communication and research excellence,” and that AI presents public libraries with “opportunities to improve community engagement.”
Suggestions for AI usage
These might be helpful for your library patrons, or for librarians’ planning of programming for their communities.
- Lifehacker offered a list of suggested uses for AI, from summarizing one’s email inbox to resizing images. In addition, the site also offers suggestions for using AI with your Excel documents.
- Lifewire reports on use of Google Maps’ AI to create customized city travel guides.
- The New York Times reports on using AI for holiday shopping, while The Washington Post reports on use of AI to create a holiday card.
AI this election season
- NPR reports on the usage of AI-generated images as election propaganda.
- Reuters reports on outside election interference using AI.
- Time Magazine offers guidance on protecting oneself against misinformation.