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NFAIS Tradition of Tracking Emerging Technologies Continues

NFAIS Tradition of Tracking Emerging Technologies Continues

September 2019

The NFAIS tradition of alerting members of the information community to emerging technologies poised to impact on their activities continues with this upcoming NISO event. A 90-minute webinar weighing the potential impact of artificial intelligence on libraries and those who serve them is scheduled for Wednesday, September 25. Being a members-only benefit, no cost is incurred when Voting Members or Library Standards Alliance members register using this SurveyMonkey form.  Not sure of your organization's membership status? The NISO membership directory is here.

NFAIS Foresight Webinar
Artificial Intelligence: Weighing the Value for the Information Community

Date and Time: Wednesday, September 25, 2019, 1:00pm – 2:30pm (US, Eastern)

Artificial intelligence is frequently used as an umbrella term for a broad range of potential uses of computer algorithms to accomplish a cognitive task in a relatively short time-frame. In the more specific context of the information community, “smart systems” may be expected to do everything from the handling of a routine voice request to phrase extraction from the literature for data discovery and re-use to image assessment. The possibilities are intriguing, but there are hesitations as well. It’s very easy to replicate existing social biases. There are discussions over the ethical uses of artificial intelligence. 

How might intelligent infrastructure support the work of the information community? Librarians are considering whether a virtual assistant might be able to aid in providing research support.   Seen from an adjacent space -- apart from the work of academic researchers -- content and platform providers are considering how the use of algorithms, data and analytics may serve to enhance smart services for users. This 90-minute webinar will offer a glimpse into the practical application of artificial intelligence in support of research workflow and outputs. 

Confirmed speakers include Michael Hemenway, Chief Information Officer, Iliff School of Theology, Bohyun Kim, Chief Technology Officer and Associate Professor, University of Rhode Island Libraries, and Michael Upshall, Head of Sales and Business Development, UNSILO.