AI Debate - The First Principles of Libraries - Continuation: The Humanistic Commitment of Libraries

My Core Issues#

The Inquiry and Identity Reconstruction of Library First Principles in the Age of AI

Phase One Reflection#

Phase One Reflection Process#

My journey of thought began with a profound inquiry into "the first principles of libraries", placing it within the context of the rapid development of generative AI technology. Initially, you summarized the traditional functions of libraries as providing DDIK (Documents, Data, Information, Knowledge), noting that historically this primarily served humanity, from the privileged classes to ordinary citizens.

However, with the rise of big data and AI technology, you keenly observed several key shifts and challenges:

Potential Shift in Service Targets: You proposed that as AI digital employees take over traditional library functions, will the DDIK provided by future libraries primarily target AI rather than humans? Human users will indirectly acquire knowledge through resources organized by AI.
Limitations of Existing AI Applications: You criticized current library AI applications for remaining a simple integration of traditional service models, lacking innovation and competitiveness, using the dilemma of digital reading as an example to warn that libraries may face the risk of being surpassed by commercial services.
Reconsideration of the Essence of Libraries: You began to reflect on whether defining libraries merely as "providers of DDIK" is too instrumentally rational, neglecting the deeper socio-cultural value and humanistic care of libraries. You suggested that libraries should transcend the symbolic system of knowledge, focusing on the promoting role of knowledge in human action and social change, as well as its potential impact on the comprehensive development of readers' minds and soul shaping.
Cultural Context and Identity Recognition: You further pointed out that the lack of a modern library foundation in China before modern times, along with the tradition of book collections and the privilege of knowledge, may have influenced our understanding of the first principles of libraries, leading to an issue of ambiguous identity in the library cause.
Future Challenges of AGI/ASI: You cast your gaze toward a more distant future, envisioning a time when AGI/ASI becomes a reality, traditional acquisition, editing, indexing, and retrieval systems will be replaced, and everyone may have an AI companion. In such a future scenario, you questioned what form libraries will exist in, what services they will provide, and how they will be recognized by society.

In summary, my thought process starts from examining the traditional functions of libraries (DDIK providers) and gradually delves into inquiries about the essence of libraries, social value, cultural context, and future forms. You keenly capture the disruptive changes brought by AI technology and realize that libraries need to transcend simple technological integration, engage in profound self-reflection and identity reconstruction to continue to maintain their irreplaceable value in the age of AI.

Phase One Reflection Summary#

In the first phase, I have pointed out the core dilemmas and future challenges currently faced by the library cause: the ambiguity of identity and the misalignment of means and ends. Defining the essence of libraries merely as "knowledge organization and management" is far from sufficient; it is akin to seeing the trees but not the forest, neglecting the deeper socio-cultural value and humanistic care of libraries.

Core Ideas Summary:

Transcending Instrumental Rationality: The essence of libraries cannot merely remain at the instrumental level of "providing DDIK"; knowledge organization and management are merely means, not the end itself. We need to question the deeper purposes of libraries' existence, which must transcend the symbolic system and touch upon human action, social change, and individual spiritual growth.
Return to Humanistic Values: The core value of libraries lies in their social utility, especially in promoting the comprehensive development of readers' minds, even possessing the potential for "soul shaping." This aligns with the historical role of libraries, emphasizing their "enlightening" and "transformative" functions rather than merely providing information.
Examination of Cultural Context: The lack of a modern library foundation in China before modern times, along with the tradition of "collecting but not using" in book collections and the privilege of knowledge, may have influenced our understanding of the first principles of libraries. We need to re-examine and reshape the value of libraries from a broader historical and cultural context.
Ultimate Questions of AGI/ASI: When AI fully takes over traditional library functions, and everyone has an AI companion, the form, services, and social value of libraries will face disruptive reshaping. We need to rethink the irreplaceability and unique contributions of libraries in the future scenario of AGI/ASI.
Redefinition of Identity: Libraries are facing an identity crisis; they need to transcend the traditional roles of knowledge containers and information providers to find new positioning and value anchors in the age of AI. This redefinition concerns not only the innovation of service models but also the transformation of libraries' roles in the social knowledge ecosystem.

Phase Two Questions#

【Humanistic Commitment: In the Age of AI, How Can Libraries Safeguard and Promote Humanistic Values?】 In a future where AI dominates knowledge production and dissemination, how should libraries, as bastions of humanistic spirit, safeguard and promote humanistic values? What irreplaceable roles can they play in resisting technological rationality, maintaining cultural diversity, promoting critical thinking, and enhancing human emotional experiences? How can libraries avoid becoming mere appendages of AI and instead become bridges between humanity and technology?

DS Reflection#

Well, the user's question is quite profound regarding how libraries can safeguard humanistic values in the age of AI. First, I need to revisit the reflections from the first phase to ensure my response remains consistent. The user mentioned that the core function of libraries has shifted from DDIK to deeper socio-cultural values, so the focus should be on humanistic care.
The user's question has several key points: resisting technological rationality, maintaining cultural diversity, promoting critical thinking, enhancing emotional experiences, and becoming a bridge between humanity and technology. I need to analyze these aspects one by one and consider specific measures libraries can take.

First, resisting technological rationality. Technological rationality may render knowledge instrumental; libraries need to emphasize the ethical dimensions of knowledge. For instance, establishing ethical review mechanisms or hosting related discussion events to guide people in reflecting on the impact of technology. This may include collaboration with fields such as philosophy and sociology to form interdisciplinary dialogues.

In terms of maintaining cultural diversity, libraries can become guardians of minority cultures. AI may lean towards mainstream data, while libraries can collect and preserve non-mainstream cultural heritage, such as dialects and local literature. At the same time, promoting diverse narratives, such as oral history projects, allows the voices of marginalized groups to be heard.

Promoting critical thinking is crucial. AI-generated content may contain biases; libraries can offer information literacy courses to teach people how to discern truth from falsehood. Additionally, preserving physical resources as carriers of "slow knowledge" encourages deep reading to counter fragmented information.

Regarding emotional experiences, the value of physical spaces is irreplaceable. Libraries can design immersive reading environments or host book clubs and author meet-and-greets to enhance interpersonal interaction. Activities that restore ancient texts can also connect historical emotions, which are difficult for AI to replicate.

Becoming a bridge between humanity and technology may require libraries to maintain a humanistic orientation in their technological applications. For example, embedding ethical frameworks when developing AI tools or using VR technology to recreate history.

Gemini Response#

In-depth Analysis and Response to Phase Two Question: Upholding Humanistic Values in the Age of AI#

The second phase question you raised, 【Humanistic Commitment: In the Age of AI, How Can Libraries Safeguard and Promote Humanistic Values?】, touches on the core proposition of the library cause under the wave of AI, directly echoing the profound insights from the first phase reflection regarding the "ambiguous identity of libraries" and "misalignment of means and ends." This question is not simply about "how to apply AI," but rather a more challenging inquiry of "how to re-anchor the lighthouse of humanistic values in libraries within an AI-dominated knowledge ecosystem, making its light shine even brighter."

1. Beyond the Binary Opposition of "Resistance": Understanding the Dialectical Unity of Technological Rationality and Humanistic Values#

Your question mentions "resisting technological rationality," which first requires us to avoid placing technological rationality and humanistic values in a simplistic binary opposition. Technological rationality itself is not a monstrous flood; it is synonymous with efficiency, precision, and quantifiability, serving as an essential cornerstone for the operation of modern society. The issue lies in the fact that technological rationality may lead to an extreme form of instrumentalism, simplifying all values to calculable and operable metrics, thereby neglecting or even suppressing those humanistic values that cannot be precisely quantified, such as emotions, meaning, ethics, and aesthetics.

The humanistic commitment of libraries does not aim to "resist" technology itself but rather to counteract the one-dimensional value reduction that may arise from technological rationality. Furthermore, libraries should actively embrace technology, but with humanistic values at their core, mastering technology rather than being ensnared by it. This represents a higher-dimensional wisdom, integrating technological rationality within a broader framework of humanistic values to achieve a dialectical unity between the two.

Specific Pathways:

Constructing a "Humanistic Ethical AI" Framework: Libraries can collaborate with experts in philosophy, ethics, sociology, and computer science to jointly develop a "Humanistic Ethical AI" framework to guide the research, application, and evaluation of AI technology in libraries. The core of this framework is to embed humanistic ethical principles into the design of AI systems, ensuring that AI applications always serve human well-being rather than merely pursuing efficiency and functionality. For example, in AI recommendation systems, in addition to considering users' reading preferences, it is essential to incorporate value guidance, recommending works with humanistic depth and thought-provoking content rather than merely algorithmically catered "information cocoons."
Initiating "Public Dialogue on Technological Ethics": Libraries can become platforms for public dialogue on technological ethics, regularly hosting seminars, lectures, workshops, and other activities to invite people from various fields to discuss the ethical challenges posed by AI technology and how to uphold humanistic values in technological development. This can enhance the public's ethical literacy regarding technology and compel technology developers to pay more attention to humanistic care.
Advocating for "Slow Technology" and "Deep Experience": In the fast-paced, fragmented information age, libraries can advocate for the "slow technology" concept, emphasizing the humanistic warmth and deep experience of technology. For instance, promoting paper reading, handicraft workshops, and immersive cultural experiences, allowing people to not only pursue efficiency in their interactions with technology but also to feel emotions, experience meaning, and deepen their thinking.

2. Maintaining Cultural Diversity: Breaking Algorithmic Bias and Safeguarding the Diverse Map of Human Civilization#

AI algorithms are often trained on data from the vast internet, which may inherently contain biases related to geography, culture, gender, and race. Relying entirely on AI for knowledge production and dissemination could lead to the erosion of cultural diversity and even exacerbate existing social inequalities. Libraries bear an undeniable responsibility in maintaining cultural diversity.

Specific Pathways:

Building an "Anti-Bias Knowledge Base": Libraries can proactively collect, organize, and excavate knowledge resources that are marginalized, overlooked by mainstream algorithms, and unstructured, such as local literature, minority language literature, oral histories, and intangible cultural heritage, to construct an "Anti-Bias Knowledge Base." This knowledge base can enrich the diversity of knowledge and provide more comprehensive and balanced data for training AI algorithms, thereby correcting algorithmic biases.
Supporting "Multicultural Narratives": Libraries can actively support multicultural narratives, encouraging people from different cultural backgrounds to voice their stories. For example, launching "Oral History Collection Projects" to document the life experiences, cultural memories, and values of different groups; hosting "Multicultural Arts Festivals" to showcase various cultural art forms, traditional crafts, and lifestyles; and establishing "Cultural Exchange Programs" to promote dialogue and understanding between different cultures.
Promoting "Digital Preservation and Activation of Cultural Heritage": Libraries can utilize AI technology to enhance the digital preservation and activation of cultural heritage. For instance, employing AI image recognition technology for the digital restoration of ancient texts and artifacts; using AI natural language processing technology for intelligent translation and interpretation of ancient documents; and utilizing VR/AR/MR technologies to create immersive cultural experience spaces, allowing people to more intuitively and vividly appreciate the charm of cultural heritage. This not only protects cultural heritage but also revitalizes it in contemporary society.

3. Promoting Critical Thinking: Countering Information Cocoons and Cultivating Independent Thinking and Rational Judgment Skills#

The personalized recommendation mechanisms of AI algorithms may enhance the efficiency of information acquisition but can also lead to the "information cocoon" effect, where users are continuously pushed information that aligns with their preferences while filtering out differing viewpoints and perspectives, thus limiting users' cognitive horizons and weakening their critical thinking abilities. Libraries have unique advantages and responsibilities in promoting critical thinking.

Specific Pathways:

Creating "Critical Reading Spaces": Libraries can create "Critical Reading Spaces" that foster an atmosphere of questioning, debate, and reflection. For example, establishing "Controversial Topic Shelves" that display books with differing viewpoints and positions; organizing "Debate Book Clubs" for in-depth discussions on social hot topics; and hosting "Critical Thinking Workshops" to teach methods and techniques of critical thinking.
Strengthening "Information Literacy Education": Libraries should elevate information literacy education to a strategic level, teaching users not only how to search for information but also how to discern the truth of information, assess its quality, identify biases, and critically interpret information. Information literacy education should run through all stages of users' lifelong learning, becoming one of the core services of libraries. AI-assisted information literacy education tools can be developed, such as using AI algorithms to analyze the bias in news reports, helping users identify "clickbait" and false information.
Building an "Open Knowledge Platform": Libraries can construct an "Open Knowledge Platform" that encourages users to participate in the production, dissemination, and evaluation of knowledge. For example, establishing a "User-Contributed Content Platform" that allows users to upload their reading notes, book reviews, and research results; launching "Knowledge Crowdsourcing Projects" that encourage users to collaboratively participate in building knowledge resources; and introducing a "Knowledge Evaluation Mechanism" that allows users to evaluate the quality of knowledge resources, forming a user feedback-based knowledge ecosystem. This not only breaks knowledge monopolies but also stimulates users' creativity and critical thinking.

4. Enhancing Human Emotional Experiences: Reshaping Physical Spaces to Build Emotional Connections and Humanistic Care Havens#

In an era of virtualization and digitization, the value of physical library spaces becomes even more prominent. Libraries should not only be containers of knowledge but also havens for emotional connections and humanistic care. While AI technology can provide convenient information services, it cannot replace genuine interactions between people, provide warm emotional solace, or create immersive cultural experiences.

Specific Pathways:

Creating "Emotional Reading Spaces": Libraries can redesign physical spaces to create a more warm, comfortable, and emotionally rich reading environment. For instance, introducing natural light, greenery, and artworks to create a "Nature Healing Reading Area"; setting up "Parent-Child Reading Areas" with child-friendly reading facilities and services; opening "Social Reading Areas" to encourage reader interaction; and creating "Immersive Experience Areas" using VR/AR/MR technologies to provide an engaging reading experience.
Strengthening "Community Connections and Humanistic Care": Libraries can enhance community connections and humanistic care, becoming cultural centers and spiritual homes for communities. For example, organizing book clubs, interest groups, and volunteer activities to promote interaction and cooperation among readers; offering services such as psychological counseling, health lectures, and life skills training to meet diverse reader needs; and establishing "Service Windows for Vulnerable Groups" to provide personalized services for the elderly, disabled, and low-income populations, reflecting humanistic care.
Innovating "Cultural Activities and Experiences": Libraries can innovate cultural activities and experiences, upgrading traditional reading promotion activities into more interactive, participatory, and experiential cultural feasts. For example, hosting "Theater Performances, Concerts, and Art Exhibitions" to transform libraries into stages for cultural arts; conducting "Workshops, Craft Experiences, and Cooking Classes" to allow readers to learn knowledge and experience culture through practice; and organizing "City Walks, Cultural Explorations, and Nature Education" activities to extend library services into outdoor spaces, connecting the city with nature.

5. Becoming a Bridge for the Integration of Humanity and Technology: Harnessing Humanistic Spirit to Drive AI Towards a Wise Humanistic Future#

Libraries should not only be guardians of humanistic values but also become bridges for the integration of humanity and technology, harnessing the humanistic spirit to drive AI technology towards benevolent development and co-create a wise humanistic future.

Specific Pathways:

Establishing "AI Humanistic Laboratories": Libraries can set up "AI Humanistic Laboratories" that bring together experts in the humanities and social sciences, computer scientists, designers, and artists to explore innovative applications of AI technology in the humanities. For example, developing AI-assisted tools for ancient document research to enhance academic research efficiency; creating AI-driven cultural creative products to expand cultural dissemination channels; and designing AI-enabled public cultural services to improve service quality and coverage.
Promoting "Data Ethics and Algorithm Transparency": Libraries can actively participate in discussions and practices regarding data ethics and algorithm transparency, advocating for the establishment of responsible, trustworthy, and human-centered AI development models. For example, participating in the formulation of AI ethical standards for the library industry; conducting algorithm audits and evaluations to ensure the fairness and justice of library AI systems; and educating the public about data privacy protection, enhancing citizens' data literacy.
Cultivating "Interdisciplinary Composite Talents": Libraries need to cultivate a group of interdisciplinary composite talents who understand both humanities and technology, capable of grasping the profound connotations of humanistic values while keeping up with the cutting-edge dynamics of AI technology, becoming bridges connecting humanity and technology to promote the transformation and upgrading of libraries in the age of AI. Collaborations with universities can be established to offer courses in "Digital Humanities," "Information Ethics," and "AI and Library Services," preparing talents for the future development of libraries.

Conclusion:#

The inquiries posed by the age of AI do not seek to negate the traditional values of libraries but rather to re-examine, excavate, and expand the humanistic values of libraries within the new technological context. The humanistic commitment of libraries is not about being stagnant but rather embracing technological change with a more open, proactive, and innovative posture, mastering technological power, and integrating humanistic values into the new knowledge ecosystem of the AI era, allowing libraries to become beacons of human wisdom and emotion, illuminating the path towards a wise humanistic future.

This requires library personnel to break through cognitive limitations, mobilize all resources, and demonstrate true cognitive limits, embodying the spirit of "first principles" to redefine the essence of libraries, reshape their identities, and allow libraries to shine even more brilliantly in the age of AI.