2024 NISO-BISG Forum Examines Artificial Intelligence and Publishing
In collaboration with the Book Industry Study Group (BISG), the NISO organization hosted the seventeenth annual Changing Standards Landscape Forum at this year's ALA in San Diego. This year, organizers embraced the current hot topic of artificial intelligence as its presence and impact continues to resonate throughout conversations and the technology becomes more explored and incorporated across libraries, research, publishing, and creative endeavors.
This year’s forum explored the profound impacts AI poses to the book publishing industry, from enhancing efficiencies and accessibility to addressing concerns over ethical use. AI promises to streamline editing, enhance marketing, and improve accessibility through text-to-speech technologies. However, concerns over bias, representation, copyright, and privacy are just some of the ethical considerations still to be addressed and navigated. The forum brought together representatives from across the publishing, creative, and information management communities to provide insight into how artificial intelligence is being employed, what opportunities it promises, and what concerns need our utmost vigilance.
The program was introduced by Brian O’Leary, Executive Director of BISG, setting the stage for Thad McIlroy, President of Future of Publishing to provide an overview of how we arrived at this moment and how both nascent and ripe the new technology is in its impact on the industry. Thad’s presentation transitioned the conversation smoothly to Robin Sloan and AI’s role in the creative process.
Sloan, author of the New York Times bestselling Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore and his most recent release, Moonbound, has worked in big technology as well as with artificial intelligence. He captivated the audience by recounting his involvement with a big tech company’s experiment to write a story using AI and his reflections on the experience. His emphasis underscored the importance of maintaining human creativity and critical thinking, noting AI technology as a tool.
Rachel Comerford, as the Senior Director of Accessibility Outreach and Communication at Macmillan Learning, leads cross-functional efforts to ensure students of all abilities have access to their course materials. She noted the various opportunities AI offers to improve access and inclusivity but also highlighted the very present risks of bias and inequity that can inflict harm and damage.
After a brief and chatty coffee-break, the program resumed with Todd Carpenter, Executive Director of NISO, introducing Judy Ruttenburg, Senior Director of Scholarship and Policy at ARL. Ruttenburg delivered a compelling keynote on the equitable implementation of AI in libraries, emphasizing strategic considerations necessary to ensure that they are used ethically and inclusively.
Joined by Barbara Kline Pope, Executive Director of JHU Press, and Tim Spalding, Founder and President of LibraryThing, the afternoon concluded with the day’s participants engaging in a dynamic discussion. Moderated by Thad McIlroy, the group considered AI’s impacts on human learning and what happens if AI takes over tasks that traditionally teach through human trial and error to creative motivation and the enduring importance of human creativity – beyond but not excluding the practical hope for increased efficiencies and cost savings that artificial intelligence may bring.
Throughout the individual presentations, the panel discussion, and the question and answer session following it all, a key takeaway is that vigilance remains paramount. Trust, transparency, and collaboration with stakeholders who share common values are crucial to the navigation of the rewards and the risks offered at the intersection of publishing and artificial intelligence. The conversations sparked by the forum will undoubtedly be ongoing as the technology is incorporated into industry practices and we continue to harness its opportunities while upholding our core values and ethical standards.
