Episode 34 (October 2024): AI-Corrosion (and Repair!) of Trust in Public Institutions

Beth Patin, Dave Lankes & Mike Eisenberg

Short Description

AI provides a new level of destructive capability to undermine trust in government and public institutions, and unfortunately yes, even in libraries. This episode focuses on these AI tools, their corrosive effects, and ways that libraries and librarians can help to repair the damage.

And…a bonus feature: BONUS INTERVIEW (October 2024) – Rebekah Cummings, Librarian & 2024 Candidate for Lt. Gov of Utah!

Full Description

Sigh. It’s not enough that our instantly and continually connected information environment has eroded trust everywhere—including in our public institutions. The Internet, World Wide Web, and social media have been super-spreaders for misinformation (unintended misleading or false information) and dis-information (purposeful spreading of lies or deceptive information). But now, there is an even more powerful force at everyone’s fingertips—Artificial Intelligence. AI now offers a set of multimedia tools and techniques to turbo-charge the creation and communication of false or misleading information. Referred to as “corrosive AI” by our colleague Riley Lankes, AI provides a new level of capability to undermine trust, particularly in government and public institutions, and unfortunately yes, even in libraries.

In this first podcast of our 5th season, and our first season in partnership with Library Journal, we try out some of these new AI tools, focus on the corrosive effects, and conclude with ways that libraries and librarians can help to repair or even avoid the damage.

Description: Bonus Video Interview

Rebekah Cummings is interviewed by Dave Lankes. Rebekah was chosen to run with Gubernatorial candidate, Brian King. He described Rebekah as: “A mom. A public servant. A librarian. A defender against book banning and censorship. Utahns will be well served by Rebekah’s leadership through her advocacy for intellectual freedom and commitment to empowering families.”

Rebekah is the Director of Digital Matters and Associate Librarian at the University of Utah Marriott Library. In 2018 – 2019, Rebekah served as the Utah Library Association President, and she currently serves as the Utah State Library Board Chair.

NOTE: THIS INTERVIEW IS AVAILABLE AS A VIDEO ON THE LIBRARY JOURNAL YouTube Channel at https://youtu.be/kHrNVvyQD_g

This episode includes:

• Wazzup?
• AI Watch
• Main Topic
• Awesome Library Thingy
• Bonus Video Interview!

References & Resources

Wazzup?

The Big6 (2024) “Information & Technology Skills for Student Success,” https://thebig6.org/

School of Information, University of Texas (2024) https://www.ischool.utexas.edu

School of Information Studies, Syracuse University (2024) https://ischool.syr.edu/

Information School, University of Washington (2024) https://ischool.uw.edu/

AI Watch:

Jeong, S. (2024, August 22). No one’s ready for this Our basic assumptions about photos capturing reality are about to go up in smoke. The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/22/24225972/ai-photo-era-what-is-reality-google-pixel-9 AI-altered images made with Google’s Magic Editor.

McMahon, L. (2024, September 6). Man accused of using bots and AI to earn streaming revenue. Retrieved September 6, 2024, from https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly3ld9wy3eo

Office of National Statistics (UK) (2023, October 30). Public awareness, opinions and expectations about artificial intelligence: July to October 2023. Retrieved September 6, 2024, from https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/itandinternetindustry/articles/publicawarenessopinionsandexpectationsaboutartificialintelligence/julytooctober2023

Main Topic: Corrosive AI

Starbird, K. (2024, September 1). Center for an Informed Public. Center for an Informed Public. Retrieved September 6, 2024, from https://www.cip.uw.edu/

Starbird, K., Haughey, M. M., Moran-Prestridge, R., Tomson, D. L., Spiro, E. S., & Grass, M. (2024, September 5). What to expect when we’re electing: An election rumoring timeline. Center for an Informed Public. Retrieved September 6, 2024, from https://www.cip.uw.edu/2024/09/05/2024-election-rumoring-timeline/

School of Information Studies (2024, August 27). Three-Peat: ISchool Professor, Ph.D. Candidate Win ‘Unprecedented’ Third Award. School of Information Studies, Syracuse University. Retrieved September 6, 2024, from https://ischool.syr.edu/three-peat-ischool-professor-ph-d-candidate-win-unprecedented-third-award/

Anaya, R. A. (1982). Magic of Words: Rudolfo Anaya and His Writings (P. Vassallo, Ed.). University of New Mexico Press. https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Magic_of_Words/NStaAAAAMAAJ?hl=en

Center for Computational and Data Science, School of Information Studies, Syracuse University (2024). The Illuminating Project. The Illuminating Project. Retrieved September 6, 2024, from https://ischool.syr.edu/center-for-computational-and-data-science/the-illuminating-project/

Merica, D. (2024, June 2). Democrats wanted an agreement on using artificial intelligence. It went nowhere. AP. https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-ai-dnc-campaign-2024-republicans-7c6b78b6a8ded9ad253be9ef491e0284

Poth, R. D. (2024, May 13). Guiding Students to Develop AI Literacy. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/ai-literacy-students/

Massachusetts Library System (2024, August 23). ChatGPT and Generative Artificial Intelligence (LibGuides). Retrieved September 6, 2024, from https://guides.masslibsystem.org/ai/schools
A timely (Sept 2024), credible, and extensive guide of “… curated resources for school librarians, teachers, and administrators to get started with thinking, talking about, and incorporating the technology.”

Awesome Library Thingy

Rich, H. (2024, August 13). Librarian Runs for Lieutenant Governor in Utah. Library Journal. https://www.libraryjournal.com/story/librarian-runs-for-lieutenant-governor-in-utah

Putnam, R. D., & Garrett , S. S. R. (2020). The upswing : How America came together a century ago and how we can do it again (1st ed.). Simon & Schuster. https://search.worldcat.org/title/1142896590

(2024). Sustainable Libraries Initiative. Sustainable Libraries Initiative. Retrieved September 6, 2024, from https://www.sustainablelibrariesinitiative.org/

Bonus Interview

Rebekah Cummings, Librarian & 2024 Candidate for Lt. Gov of Utah! – on the Library Journal YouTube Channel – https://youtu.be/kHrNVvyQD_g

Filed under: Dr. Beth Patin, Dr. Dave Lankes, Dr. Mike Eisenberg, Season 5