Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming archival work—from description and discovery to access and outreach. This interactive roundtable brings together archivists from diverse institutions to share how they are experimenting with AI tools in their daily practice, especially in settings with limited technical support. Each speaker will offer a brief presentation on their institution’s use of AI, followed by a facilitated discussion with the audience about the opportunities, challenges, and ethical considerations that come with integrating AI into archival workflows.
Larissa Krayer (University of Nebraska Medical Center) will discuss using generative AI to generate alt text and metadata for accessibility. Estée O’Connor (Racine Dominican Archive) will share how AI transcription tools have revolutionized oral history workflows for a solo archivist managing a large and complex repository. Meghan Courtney (Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan) will reflect on student use of chatbots in archival discovery and the implications for archival pedagogy. Pete Brink (Creighton University Libraries) will explore AI-assisted description of handwritten correspondence and the development of a university history chatbot, framed within Jesuit ethical inquiry.
Following the main discussion, you will be invited to participate in small, moderated breakout groups to share your own experiences, questions, and concerns in a more focused setting. These collaborative conversations will be structured around key themes—such as ethics, accessibility, and resource limitations—to foster a practical dialogue on implementation. The session aims to encourage you, regardless of your institution's size or resources, to responsibly and creatively engage with AI and leave with actionable strategies for your own settings.
Speakers Larissa Krayer, University of Nebraska Medical Center (Session Chair) Pete Brink, Creighton University Meghan Courtney, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan Estée O’Connor, Racine Dominican Archive
