A Review of Librarians as Digital Literacy Drivers in an Age of Generative AI Surrounded by Ethical Conundrums
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55578/fepr.2507.006Keywords:
Generative-AI, Artificial Intelligence, Librarian, Information Literacy, Digital Information Literacy, Ethical Challenges, Digital EcosystemAbstract
The invention and recorded successes in the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (Generative-AI) has given rise to a period of new ideas, changing the way data exist, produced, put into use, broken down and applied. This technology presently is permeating virtually in all human fields of endeavor including education which is the hallmark of societal development and sustainability. The irony of it is that there are two sides to this technology, the good and the ugly and librarians being drivers of information literacy seem to be in-between the two sides to bring a balance and orderliness within the information disordered ecosystem by ensuring that users of all sort are equipped with requisite Information Literacy (IL) skills. This work therefore is a review of Generative-AI intelligence as a concept, information literacy, digital literacy and ethics as well as Generative-AI ethical challenges and risk, librarians’ role as information literacy drivers in a Digital era and librarians’ expected functions as Generative-AI literacy facilitators that will help curb ethical challenges and risk posed by Generative-AI in the global digital ecosystem.
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