Integration of AI Chatbot into Library’s Operations: Opportunities or Threats to Librarians’ Role? (Published)
The emergence of AI Chatbot is one that is received with mixed feelings. To some librarians, it poses threats to the roles of librarians hence the fear of losing their jobs. This paper is aimed at conceptualizing the place of AI Chatbot in libraries and its limitations, identifying some unreplaceable responsibilities of librarians as well as clearing some doubts as expressed by librarians by reconciling the impacts of Chatbot and how librarians can leverage the technology to enhance their services in the library. To achieve this, it applied interpretive content and document analysis method through which, a holistic review and synthesizing of collated literature from different databases which include Web of Science and Scopus were carried out. From the reviewed literature, it identified among other things that exploring the role of AI-powered Chatbots with virtual assistants enhances the provision of instant customer support, answering queries and assisting with information retrieval as well as that Chatbot or no Chabot, librarians are expected to perform their traditional and evolving roles in this contemporary global digital ecosystem. The paper, deduced that Chatbot is rather a tool with many opportunities rather than threats as thought by some librarians and that librarians should tap into it and brace up for the technological tsunami that is ravaging the entire global digital ecosystem. The suggestion is that in the face of emerging technologies like Chatbot, librarians should leverage the opportunities it creates and partner it to make the best out of it with a view to enhancing their services and not to see it as a threat.
Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, ChatGPT, Chatbot, Information and Communication Technology, Library, librarian
Evolution of Synthetic Intelligence Against Artificial Intelligence: What Librarians Should Know (Published)
In recent time, there is this scientific thought that the intelligence of machine needs not to be artificial rather superficial and genuine form of intelligence. In this regard, the need to come with a machine that operates under the claim of “genuine intelligence” arose, given rise to the evolution of what is in recent time traded as ‘Synthetic Intelligence (SI). This paper therefore takes a look at this term synthetic intelligence, conceptualizing the similarities and differences between it and AI as well as areas librarians can leverage on to enhance effective and efficient library services. The paper which was guided by three main objectives, adopted interpretive content and document analysis method aimed at conducting an all-embracing review and analysis of collated literature from different databases. Based on analyzed literature, the paper identified that there exist, some similarities and differences between SI and AI. In terms of similarities, it identified that both AI and synthetic intelligence involve the use of computers and algorithms to create intelligent systems among others whereas, their differences include that while AI is the development of computer systems that can perform tasks and make decisions that would typically require human intelligence, synthetic intelligence goes a step further by creating computer programs or systems that are not just imitating human intelligence, but are designed to possess an entirely synthetic or manufactured form of intelligence but in all, both are computer based intelligence. It was also realized that SI, inter-alia can assist librarians with back-office duties in that computers can now complete regular tasks, such as inventory and catalogue management, holds and reservation management, circulation and check-out and fine notifications and fee collection. Based on the analyzed literature, the suggestion is that librarians as digital literacy advocates and custodians of knowledge should tailor their minds towards understanding SI principles, applications, and ethical considerations, as it will help them better navigate the future landscape of intelligent systems and their integration into theglobal digital ecosystem as well as having it at the back of their minds, that SI and AI are one and same thing but the differences are their approaches and goals.
Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Librarians, Technology, synthetic intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) In Service Delivery to Academic Library by Librarians in Nigeria (Published)
This research looks at how librarians in Nigeria use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to provide services to academic libraries. This study addressed a problem that many librarians face in Nigeria, such as technical knowledge of AI, funding to purchase technology, and lack of government backing for libraries, among other things. The concept of Artificial Intelligence services delivery to academic library users and librarians in Nigerians, as a result of their application to the library’s reference unit, readers’ service unit, cataloguing and classification unit, and serial control unit, through some of its branches such as expert systems, opportunities for libraries, natural language processing, neural networks, and robotics. Some academic institutions have already accepted the use of artificial intelligence to handle some daily library routines, according to the report. The study goes on to discuss some of the obstacles that its application to university libraries faces, as well as possible solutions.
Keywords: Academic Libraries, Artificial Intelligence, Challenges, and librarians, robotics, services