Turkish scientist prepares project integrating libraries' memory with AI

By Yasemin Kalyoncuoglu

A Turkish academic from Berlin Technical University is spearheading a groundbreaking initiative to merge libraries with AI to streamline information access and synthesis through the Future European Library project.

Envisioning AI's ubiquitous integration into daily life within the next decade, Sahin Albayrak highlighted the ongoing digitalization of prestigious university libraries like Stanford and Yale.

Albayrak conducted research at Stanford University's AI laboratory in the US and became a professor at 30. Upon returning to Berlin Technical University, he became the founder and head of the first Distributed Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (DAI-Labor) in Germany. Albayrak also spearheaded Germany's €2.5 billion AI research initiative against the coronavirus.

He emphasized to Anadolu the transformative potential of AI in facilitating access to vast digital repositories, even as physical shelves may gradually empty.

"Nobody can halt the progress of AI. While physical books may still adorn shelves for a while, much of our knowledge will digitize, granting round-the-clock access. In a decade, libraries will be equipped with AI," said Albayrak.

He underscored the evolving role of librarians in tandem with AI advancements. Librarians will transition to curating new publications and integrating them into AI systems.

"AI will not replace librarians but will necessitate continuous learning," he said.

Addressing AI's near-term trajectory, he delineated two primary functions: conversational AI and data analysis. He envisioned a future where users interact seamlessly with AI, receiving concise analyses swiftly.

"This approach promises efficiency across all professions," he added.

The Future European Library project embodies a paradigm shift in information dissemination, poised to revolutionize traditional library services, he said.

Albayrak, who has long been dedicated to designing scalable AI solutions, emphasizes his commitment to leveraging AI to enhance industries and societal well-being.

Alongside AI developments in autonomous vehicles, future workplaces and health care, he underscored ongoing AI initiatives tailored for libraries.

Highlighting the current project, the Future European Library, he emphasized its aim to revolutionize physical access to libraries through comprehensive AI integration.

Foreseeing significant changes in how information is accessed and managed within libraries, Albayrak elaborated on three key areas transforming, including physical access to books, information analysis and the librarian profession.

"Our research indicates a shift where books will reside on hard drives rather than shelves, with the information presented digitally. Users will navigate AI systems to receive summarized data, and librarians will adapt to incorporate AI into their workflows, ensuring data currency and providing users with synthesized insights from multiple sources," he said.

"With our work, we see that, firstly, books will no longer be on shelves but on hard disks and everything will be presented digitally. Secondly, by specifying what information we want through artificial intelligence, the system will summarize the data and give it to us. Thirdly, the librarianship profession will move to another dimension," he said.

"Librarians will learn AI and keep data up to date. Information on a subject will be summarized from multiple sources via artificial intelligence and presented to the user," he added.

Albayrak suggested that it might take five to six years for libraries to undergo a complete transformation with AI.

Highlighting archives as the memory of nations, he emphasized the need for governments to keep the memory current. He said digitizing library information for universal access is a sensible policy.

The project involving leading European universities in AI hardware is ongoing, indicating its potential to shed light on various topics and influence global libraries, he said.

Regarding copyright law applications, Albayrak emphasized their inevitable adaptation to the transformation. He described potential new payment models, where users pay based on accessed content portions rather than purchasing entire books. Additionally, he noted AI systems offering authors varied payment schemes.