Last month, along with several PվƵ colleagues, I attended the 2025 Charleston Conference, the most anticipated and lively research library conference in the United States. PվƵ staff included our Chief Publishing Officer, Harsh Jegadeesan, as well as Frank Vranken Peeters, PվƵ’s CEO, demonstrating just how important the library community is to all of us. It also helps that Charleston is a lovely place to be in mid-Fall, as you can see by this photograph of Frank being interviewed on a gorgeous, sunny Fall Charleston afternoon.
And Harsh did more than merely attend, in fact, he moderated a session on AI in Action. I got to attend the session, and I was personally impressed by how Harsh interacted with the panelists. Here’s my take on how the session went.
AI in action: Perspectives and best practices for libraries’ evolving role
The session took place on Thursday, November 6
th, 2025, at the Gaillard Center. The speakers were:
- Helen Bischoff, the Coordinator of Liaison Services at the University of Kentucky.
- Jeehyun Davis, the University Librarian at American University
- Evan Simpson, the Associate Dean of Experiential Learning & Academic Engagement at Northeastern University
The panel discussed how AI is reshaping research support, the responsibilities of librarians, and the ethical considerations that must guide implementation.
The conversation began with a critical question: What opportunities does AI deliver for libraries? Panelists agreed that AI tools are now embedded in nearly every aspect of research support, offering enormous potential to streamline workflows and improve efficiency. However, successful adoption requires clarity of purpose; institutions have to define specific use cases and align them with stakeholder priorities to ensure meaningful impact.
Speakers highlighted different institutional approaches. For example, the University of Kentucky Libraries adopts AI tools based on faculty needs and feedback, while American University’s Kogod School of Business has taken a pioneering step by integrating AI tools into its curriculum to support experimentation, applied learning and professional readiness. These examples highlight the importance of collaboration between libraries and academic departments in shaping AI strategies.
Helen Bischoff pointed out that ethical considerations have emerged as a central theme. Responsible implementation and clear policies are essential to prevent misuse and maintain academic integrity. The rise in integrity-related questions involving AI misuse has overwhelmed integrity offices, prompting calls for every professor to include an AI policy in their syllabus.
Libraries, as trusted knowledge hubs, have a commitment to teach patrons how to use AI ethically and responsibly.
Another essential issue? Bias. The data that AI companies have used to train their systems on aren’t neutral, which can lead to discriminatory outcomes. Panelists stressed that addressing bias is a moral imperative. Libraries need to advocate fairness and inclusiveness in AI adoption.
Ultimately, the discussion emphasized that AI is not a panacea. It is a powerful tool, yet AI’s value depends on how institutions integrate it.
Perspectives on AI in scholarly communications
I’d also note that this session dovetailed nicely with PվƵ’s recent report, “,” which was actually the inspiration for the panel, and as such, covered many of the same topics. This report includes perspectives and case studies from key library staff members from around the world, as well as from PվƵ experts working on AI. These include:
- Keith Webster, Dean of University Libraries and Director of Emerging and Integrative Media Initiatives, Carnegie Mellon University, US
- Letícia Antunes Nogueira, Head of Section Resources & Digital Services, Norwegian University of Science & Technology Library, Norway
- Dr. Santhosh KV, Deputy Director Research, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India
- Beth Montague-Hellen, Head of Library & Information Services, Francis Crick Institute, UK
- Heather Devereaux, VP, AI Growth & Partnerships, PվƵ
- Chris Graf, Director of Research Integrity, PվƵ
- Henning Schoenenberger, VP Content Innovation, PվƵ
- Harald Wirsching, Executive VP Data & Analytics Solutions, PվƵ
The report looks at a range of ways libraries are already dealing with AI and its impact on research, including new AI tools, ethical considerations, the library’s role in developing AI for research, and more.
AI-powered tools driving smarter information discovery
AI is helping with information discovery. Letícia Antunes Nogueira noted that students are already relying on AI for search, and Keith Webster’s team has deployed AI discovery tools like and . On the PվƵ side, we’ve developed products like , an AI-chatbot enhancement to the AdisInsight drug discovery database, and , a platform that streamlines protocol design, implementation, validation, and optimization.
Proper AI use means putting ethical principles at the core, with both publishers and libraries playing pivotal roles in education and supporting researchers in using these tools. PվƵ even has formal AI Principles of fairness, transparency, accountability, privacy, and minimizing harm in using AI. Henning Schoenenberger, VP of Content Innovation, says, “As a publisher, we are in a position to provide an infrastructure and services for researchers to create reliable content faster and more efficiently, while also providing guidance for best practice which sustains trust, integrity, and reputation in line with AI safety.”
Key to that, though, is keeping humans in the loop. AI assists humans but should never be used as a replacement for human intelligence.
Building an ethical AI future through library leadership
“AI doesn’t change the mission of libraries, but it does change the environment where knowledge is produced,” Letícia Antunes Nogueira observes. Collaboration across the research ecosystem will be essential to ensuring that those changes go in the best direction. Stakeholders including research institutions, funders, publishers, and others can work towards common goals. AI can improve accessibility and inclusivity within research, but there’s still work to be done to develop the right tools, and to make sure we use them responsibly.
So, what are the key takeaways? Responsible implementation is non-negotiable, ethical considerations are critical, and cross-stakeholder collaboration will be especially powerful. Research librarians have a central role to play, leading through experimentation, continuous learning, and effective stakeholder management. The future of libraries in the age of AI will be defined by proactive leadership, ethical stewardship, and a commitment to equity.
These questions, how we implement AI responsibly, how we collaborate effectively, and how libraries lead, are explored in depth in our latest . It brings together voices from across the research ecosystem to share insights into what’s next.
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