Boston General Library aims to increase access to a wide historical archive using artificial intelligence: NPR

Boston Public LibraryOne of the oldest and largest public libraries systems in the country, launching a project this summer with Openai and Harvard Law School to make its government documents of historical importance easier for the public.

The history of documents dates back to the early nineteenth century and includes oral dates, Congress reports and surveys of various industries and societies.

“It is truly an incredible warehouse for the main source materials that cover the history of the entire United States, as it was expressed through government publications,” he said. Jessica ChurchHead of the Boston General Library for Digital Services and online.

Currently, members of the audience who want to access these documents personally should appear. The project will enhance the descriptive data for each document and will enable users to search and men through the entire texts from anywhere in the world.

Chapel said that the Boston Public Library plans to digitize 5,000 documents by the end of the year, and if things go well, the project grows from there.

Make a deal with artificial intelligence

Because of the huge size of this historical and fragile group, reaching this goal is an arduous process. Each element should be turned on a manual scanner. It takes about an hour to do 300-400 pages.

Harvard University said it could help. Researchers at the Harvard University Law Library Institutional data initiative It works with libraries, museums and archives on a number of fronts, including training new artificial intelligence models to help libraries enhance their groups.

AI companies help finance these efforts, and in return, you can train their large language models on high -quality materials outside of copyright and thus less likely to lead lawsuits. (Microsoft and Openai is among many of the targeted artificial intelligence players under the claim of recent copyright violations, as prosecutors like authors claim that companies have stolen their business without permission.)

“The presence of information institutions such as libraries participating in the establishment of a sustainable ecosystem for Amnesty International is very important, because it not only improves the amount of data we have, but also improves data quality and understands what is in it,” said Burton Davis, Vice President of the Microsoft Intellectual Property Group.

Access to everyone

Greg Libert, Executive Director of the Harvard Corporation’s Institutional Library initiative, told the Law Library, that it is not a goal for the initiative to grant distinctive companies to access the information tools rich in information outside the center that was held in libraries and archives. Anyone can access data after numbering.

“It is a two -way street, where we improve data in a way that helps artificial intelligence, but these improvements work on its way to the library,” Liebere said. “So it also improves the beneficiary experience.”

Openai Boston Public Library helps cover survey costs and project management. The technology company does not have exclusive rights to digital data.

The company said in a statement to NPR: “We, like others, benefit from their efforts to digitize the public sphere, expand high -quality data and general knowledge that artificial intelligence systems, including our systems, can benefit.”

Challenges of partnerships between the public and private sectors

Library professionals say that working with artificial intelligence companies will provide wider access to information.

“I think this is a truly worthy partnership that we will get easier groups,” said Boston’s Public Library chapel.

Because librarians are involved in coordinating and classifying this information, the integrity of the materials used by artificial intelligence companies can be protected.

“The presence of the trained professionals with deep knowledge is very important at this moment when we start developing what will bring the future.”

But the library experts also expressed caution of these partnerships due to the cultural differences between public institutions and companies.

“This type of” move quickly and breaking things “in Silicon Valley contradicts the values of the library, which revolves around access and transparency,” said Michael Hanjan, co -author of the new book. Amnesty International and Libraries.

“All this moves very quickly: technology is moving quickly. Companies are moving quickly,” said Chuylon. “The libraries are working on a completely different time scale. So there is a little culture of culture.”

Jennifa Vanasco has released this story for broadcasting and digital number.