Kara Kennedy, PhD, educator, researcher, and writer, presents at NDF23.

Abstract

Even as many of us try to keep up with our digital skills, along comes generative AI changing the digital world again. ChatGPT and other AI tools are tearing through established skills such as writing, editing, and analysis, and digital art can now be created in seconds through simple prompts. Our relationship with books, information, and references is likely to change, just as it did with the invention of the search engine. Algorithms are becoming an even more influential part of our digital world.

While institutions hurry to create policies and rules, from trying to ban AI to embracing its potential, people are already using these tools for all kinds of professional and creative purposes but not necessarily understanding anything about them. And as usual, there are many who will face a deeper digital divide when people who know how to use AI are better placed for the future.

In this brief talk I want to discuss what AI literacy skills our current and future workforce including GLAM will need, and what educators and trainers need to build into their courses and mindsets to prepare us for an AI-driven world. I will unveil an AI Literacy Framework and argue that digital literacy must now expand to include AI literacy to avoid leaving anyone behind.