ARL and CNI report maps AI-driven future for research libraries

The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) and the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI) have released a new report, Futurescape Libraries: Mapping Possibilities for Tomorrow’s Information Hubs, setting out the strategic implications of artificial intelligence for research libraries and their leadership.

The report, developed from a Strategic Implications Workshop, is intended to support library leaders as they assess how advances in AI are reshaping the research and information landscape, and what this means for institutional roles, responsibilities and long-term direction.

Four near-term priorities are identified as particularly urgent. First, the report emphasises the need to invest in workforce development, highlighting AI literacy, flexible job roles and opportunities for staff experimentation as essential foundations. It warns that delaying upskilling while waiting for the AI landscape to stabilise represents a strategic risk.

Second, it points to the value of leveraging libraries’ unique collections – including special collections, digitised archives and curated datasets – as assets that commercial AI systems cannot easily replicate. These resources present opportunities to inform or train local AI models and to rethink metadata and collection management through an AI-first lens.

Third, the report positions libraries as key actors in governance and ethics, recommending the establishment of AI governance frameworks, ethics boards and processes for evaluating bias. It argues that libraries are well placed to lead institutional conversations around responsible AI use, data privacy and informed consent.

Finally, it highlights the importance of building and deepening partnerships, both within institutions and across the wider library community, particularly in areas such as copyright, licensing and shared standards.

The report notes that since the workshop convened in December 2024, a significant shift has occurred: AI is increasingly acting as an autonomous agent rather than simply a tool. This change brings governance, authorisation and quality control into immediate operational focus.

Framing the coming years as a narrowing window for proactive action, the report concludes that research libraries integrating governance, workforce development and collection strategy will be best positioned to shape their role in an AI-driven research ecosystem through to 2035.