National Archives Advocates for Google Gemini AI

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), a "treasure trove" of historical information, held a lively event in June called "AI - mazing Tech - venture." Just the name sounds full of technology and excitement, doesn't it?

At the event, NARA showcased Google's Gemini AI tool as the "star exhibit," proudly introducing it to their employees. They promised that this tool is like a "golden key" to boost productivity and help everyone work faster and better. The demonstration was creative, letting AI tackle the mysterious historical question of the Kennedy assassination. The atmosphere was very lively, with everyone curious about what answers the AI would provide. NARA also plans to launch a public-facing AI chatbot called "Archie AI" in December. They seem to want to use AI to bring big changes to the field of archives management. NARA officials say that AI is very important to them. They believe it will change the way they work, expand their services, and ensure that records management is secure in the future. It's like they can see AI leading them to a new era of archives management.

However, there are some challenges. The employees are worried about using AI in archives management. They are like careful "guards," protecting the accuracy of historical records. During the demonstration, the employees typed many questions about the technology in the chat window. They looked worried and said, "If we give AI to the public, how can we tell if the answers come from experienced archivists or from the 'smart but not-so-reliable' AI? If people get confused, won't trust in our institution slide down like a slide? That would be a big problem." The employees also worry about other things, like data security, privacy, and copyright issues. They ask, "How can we make sure that NARA won't get into copyright trouble when using AI models trained on web content? If we get sued, we'll be in big trouble!" Some employees even think about the environmental impact and carbon footprint of AI, worrying that AI uses a lot of energy and might harm our planet.

NARA's plans and goals are very sincere. They want to use AI to make archives services the best they can be. They hope AI will open a "magic door" for the public to easily access archives, making it as simple as visiting a friend's house. Right now, NARA is working hard on several AI pilot projects, like small "test fields" where they hope to grow better public services and trust. The upcoming Archie AI tool is full of hope. It's like a "little expert" ready to solve accuracy and disclosure problems. NARA knows that AI-generated summaries and results might be like a naughty child who makes mistakes, so they are warning the public in advance. According to the plan, Archie AI will be launched in a few months. Users will just need to ask questions, and they will get AI-generated summaries with footnotes and links, like having a helpful "little assistant" always ready to help.