Revisiting perceptions of and experience using artificial intelligence among North American librarians
Wilhelm Peekhaus · The Journal of Academic Librarianship · 2026
This article reports the findings from two web-based surveys conducted among North American librarians in 2019 and 2025 about their perceptions of and experience with artificial intelligence (AI). Librarians are using AI for a range of activities in the library, though not to the extent one might expect. Surprisingly, there are relatively high levels of uncertainty about whether the library owns or actively uses AI. Librarian perceptions of AI are mixed. AI usage and levels of satisfaction with the answers generated by AI are higher for librarians in their personal than professional lives. Less than half of librarian respondents think that AI has the potential to improve library operations and only 40 % believe that AI has the potential to replace aspects of their jobs. There has been a clear increase in the use of AI among academic librarians both in their private lives and in academic libraries over the past six years. Positive perceptions of AI have also increased, although they have yet to achieve majority numbers. Ownership of AI in academic libraries has increased since 2019 but levels are still low at less than one-third. Similarly, active use of AI in academic libraries has expanded, although overall levels of use remain relatively low. Respondents in 2025 revealed higher levels of positivity about the impact of AI on their work, as well as the belief that AI could possibly replace some of their job responsibilities.