Artificial Intelligence’s Role in Digitally Preserving Historic Archives

Abstract The term “Artificial Intelligence” (AI) is increasingly permeating public consciousness as it has gained more popularity in recent years, especially within the landscape of academia and libraries. AI in libraries has been a trending subject of interest for some time, as within the library there are numerous departments that serve a role in collectively contributing to the library’s mission. Consequently, it is imperative to consider AI’s influence on the digital preservation of historic documents. This paper delves into the historical evolution of preservation methods driven by technological advancements as, throughout history, libraries, archives, and museums have grappled with the challenge of preserving historical collections, while many of the traditional preservation methods are costly and involve a lot of manual (human) effort. AI being the catalyst for transformation could change this reality and perhaps redefine the process of preservation; thus, this paper explores the emerging trend of incorporating AI technology into preservation practices and provides predictions regarding the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence in preservation for the future. With that in mind, this paper addresses the following questions: could AI be what changes or creates a paradigm shift in how preservation is done?; and could it be the thing that will change the way history is safeguarded?