University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Flashing the hazard lights: Interrogating discourses of disruptive algorithmic technologies in LIS education

Youngman, Tyler; Appedu, Sarah; Tacheva, Zhasmina; Patin, Beth

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/123074

Description

Title
Flashing the hazard lights: Interrogating discourses of disruptive algorithmic technologies in LIS education
Author(s)
  • Youngman, Tyler
  • Appedu, Sarah
  • Tacheva, Zhasmina
  • Patin, Beth
Issue Date
2023-09
Keyword(s)
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • ChatGPT
  • Critical Data Studies
  • Critical Librarianship
  • Education
  • Information Ethics
  • Library and Information History
  • Pedagogy
  • Social Justice
  • Social Justice Informatics
Abstract
The increasing relevance of service algorithms and emerging technologies has landed many professions at a ‘disruptive’ crossroads. With the popular emergence of ChatGPT, a large language model from OpenAI designed to interact with users through conversations, discourses surrounding its ubiquity, potentiality, and adoption have captivated audiences. We argue that the unpredictable nature and changing capabilities of ChatGPT and other algorithmic technologies are another critical juncture in the advancement of LIS education. When given a library-oriented prompt, ChatGPT manifested biases that we normally interrogate in our ethical and professional conduct in the delivery of library services, further demonstrating the risk of algorithmic technologies in reproducing and amplifying marginalization and replicating harm. Hence, we ‘flash the hazard lights’, so to speak, and urge a more critical analysis and precautionary consideration of the social, technological, and cultural harms enabled or perpetuated by the uncritical adoption of ChatGPT and other algorithmic technologies.
Series/Report Name or Number
Proceedings of the ALISE Annual Conference, 2023
Type of Resource
text
Language
eng
Handle URL
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/123074
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21900/j.alise.2023.1327
Copyright and License Information
  • Copyright 2023 Tyler Youngman, Sarah Appedu, Zhasmina Tacheva, Beth Patin
  • This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).

Owning Collections

Proceedings of the ALISE Annual Conference: ALISE 2023 PRIMARY
Bridge the Gap: Teaching, Learning, Practice, and Competencies