Artificial Intelligence and Information Literacy Teaching

Good opportunity to learn more about the issues and developments with AI as library staff grapple with upskilling students in the use of Artificial Intelligence, as it continues to proliferate. This series of online presentations was hosted by Dr Jane Secker, Deputy Chair ILG, Associate Professor, City St George's, University of London.

Michael Flierl, Information Literacy practitioner, researcher, Ohio State University Libraries, kicked off the presentations with a somewhat "dystopian" view of AI counter-attacking the claims of some that the GenAI "misinformation" is overblown. He presented various key points (with suitably cited sources!), including:

LLMs are capable of producing human-like text which are not readily identified as AI-generated
AI powers of political persuasion, with AI-generated arguments, are capable of influencing mindsets
Decreasing costs of AI, coupled with ease of access and functionality (referencing DeepSeek and Claude in particular), continue to promote the proliferation of GenAI
AI-generated video and audio content is challenging as it is often indistinguishable from real-world footage, etc.
Environmental concerns of GenAI with with servers demanding proximity to fresh water

In conclusion, he emphasised the progressive reduction in costs of GenAI along with the increase "quality" of misinformation; the ongoing debate between the true impact of AI and the most effective counter-measures (e.g. AI vs AI!); -the importance of balancing beneficial issues with harms and ultimately the need for interdisciplinary efforts with tech policy, academic and civil society in view.

In addition. the webinar included the following useful case studies showcasing how library services are teaching AI literacy in their respective institutions:

Sam Gill, Liaison Librarian for Histories, Languages and Cultures, University of Liverpool - Teaching Critical AI Literacy in the Humanities to combat the skyrocketing amount of plagiarism, with the advent of a "plagiarism sheet" for students to explicitly declare their use of AI (ChatGPT), plus interactive sessions highlighting the application of AI
Eva Grau and Greg Leurs, Teaching & Engagement Librarians, Royal Holloway College, University of London -providing students with guidance to build awareness of AI and its use in assessments, identifying that the more GenAI is openly discussed, the better for staff and students
Josh Rodda, Learning Development Librarian, University of Nottingham - GenAI Literacy in Nottingham is addressed with a bookable library session on "GenAI Guidance" with emphasis on responsible use in assessments and study support

Overall, great session leaving food for thought, as we acknowledge GenAI is here to stay and develop further with the caveat that dis- or misinformation is still an alarming issue. However, to sweep it under the carpet will not work. Increasing student and user awareness of accountability in using AI, coupled with better counter-measures for combating misinformation, would seem to be at the forefront of AI literacy in these changing times.