by Ana Mae B. Cantel, MLIS

A webinar titled “I CHAT YOU! The Use of AI and ChatGPT in the Academic Profession and Libraries” was conducted on March 8, 2023, by the College of Computer Studies of the Central Philippine University, in collaboration with the Library and Information Science Department of Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea. The webinar’s primary objectives were to raise awareness of ethical issues, challenges in objective evaluation, and educational limitations while also examining how AI and ChatGPT are used in academic settings and libraries.

The webinar commenced with a prayer by Engr. Marjee Rose Parreno, MSCS, who serves as the DMIA Program Coordinator for the College of Computer Studies. This was followed by an opening remarks delivered by Prof. Ma. Christina A. Quijano, MSCS, the Dean of the College of Computer Studies. In her remarks, she highlighted her support for the technology’s use in education and expressed her enthusiasm for future initiatives centered on this subject.

The academic use of ChatGPT was the topic of discussion by Donie S. Jardeleza, DIT, an Associate Professor at the College of Computer Studies of the Central Philippine University, during the webinar. ChatGPT is an AI model that employs natural language processing to comprehend and produce human-like responses. He underscored that ChatGPT is solely a supplementary tool intended to aid students and researchers in their research efforts, and emphasized its role in disseminating information.

Jongwook Lee, PhD, an Associate Professor at the Department of Library and Information Science (iSchool) of Kyungpook National University in Daegu, South Korea, was the next speaker who focused on the integration of AI in academic libraries. He discussed the potential benefits of AI in enhancing the efficiency of library services and managing library resources. Additionally, he emphasized the importance of incorporating AI into library information services to supplement current data curation practices. However, he also encouraged the need to practice information literacy to verify the reliability and credibility of the information provided by ChatGPT.

The presentations were followed by an open forum, where attendees had the chance to ask questions and share their opinions on the topics discussed. The speakers responded with enthusiasm, and the audience was satisfied with their answers. The webinar concluded with the distribution of certificates of appreciation to the speakers and a photo documentation of the event. Prof. Ma. Cynthia T. Pelena, RL, MLIS, the Director of Libraries of the Henry Luce III Library, delivered the closing remarks, expressing her gratitude to the speakers, facilitators, and participants for their collective learning and appreciation of the significance of technology in the library profession.

This webinar serves as an initial collaboration between Central Philippine University and Kyungpook National University, following the signing of a Memorandum of Collaboration in October 2022. Programs like this provide an opportunity for the two universities to compare and contrast the integration of technologies, research practices, and academic programs such as the discussions on the use of AI and ChatGPT in the academic profession and libraries. These help us stay abreast of changes and stay relevant in the field of education.