Revolution in librarianship: AI assistant makes research easier!

Revolution in librarianship: AI assistant makes research easier!

The digital transformation in Germany's libraries is progressing. As part of the “LibraryAI” project, funded by the German Research Foundation, a virtual assistant is being developed that works on the basis of large language models. This innovative project, which will start in December 2025 and cost more than one million euros over a period of three years, aims to make research in libraries easier. Loud uni-goettingen.de The Lower Saxony State and University Library Göttingen, the Institute for Computer Science at the University of Göttingen and the Society for Scientific Data Processing mbH Göttingen (GWDG) are developing joint solutions.

The virtual assistant allows users to ask questions via chat, summarize content, translate texts and navigate through complex sources. To achieve this, AI will be integrated into existing library systems. She is specially trained to understand scientific jargon. Prof. Dr. Bela Gipp, project manager and deputy director of the SUB Göttingen, leads a team that deals with the analysis of scientific information resources. The system's modular and open architecture will allow other academic libraries to adapt.

Opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence

The increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in various areas of society brings with it both opportunities and risks. AI, a branch of computer science, enables machines to imitate human abilities such as thinking, learning and planning. Loud merkur.de AI systems recognize patterns from previous actions and adapt their behavior to new circumstances. Attention to AI has increased in recent years, particularly with OpenAI's chatbot ChatGPT, which became available for free in December 2022 and is based on deep learning.

In Germany, a significant number of companies are already planning to integrate AI into their processes. 17% intend to use AI applications immediately, while 23% can imagine using them. Potential applications include partially automated customer chats and meeting summary. At the same time, experts warn about the risks associated with such technologies. This includes possible manipulation of political opinions and the spread of false information, which could also disrupt the information and communication process in a democracy.

Integration of AI into library work

The “LibraryAI” project is part of a larger trend that shows how AI can support scientific literature and library work. One of the tools that are becoming increasingly popular in this regard are various AI-powered platforms for analyzing scientific articles. These include SciSpace, which offers full-text access to a broad database of scientific articles, and Research Rabbit, which enables the networking of research literature. These tools are crucial for the simultaneous processing of information and support in scientific work.

• SciSpace: Breite Datenbank, Volltextzugriff, integrierte Analysewerkzeuge.
• Research Rabbit: Visualisierung und Vernetzung von wissenschaftlicher Literatur.
• ChatGPT: Unterstützung bei der Themenfindung und Generierung von Zusammenfassungen.

The expansion of AI tools in libraries should help researchers work more efficiently. This is particularly important as experts predict that AI could potentially replace up to 300 million full-time jobs worldwide. The labor markets in the USA and Europe are particularly affected. It is therefore essential to find the balance between technological progress and the associated ethical issues in order to optimally use the advantages of AI without endangering existing social structures.