Artificial intelligence in academic libraries: An environmental scan

Due to the ever-increasing presence of artificial intelligence (AI), an environmental scan on academic libraries engagement with AI was conducted. The authors reviewed scholarly articles, university libraries' strategic plans, and library programming to determine if any reference to AI was being made and in what context. Top research universities in the United States and Canada were considered. The primary goal was to discover what role the librarian will play in an AI-dominant future, as well as how libraries are responding to this change. Findings indicated a lack of response or awareness to the current AI trend, though a small number of institutions were found to be participating in or creating their own AI hubs. © 2019 IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved.