Speaker: Dr Trevor Owens, American Institute of Physics
Abstract: Integration of Generative AI tools into a wide range of consumer products is rapidly reshaping expectations for how people use search and discovery systems. At the same time, archives face daunting growing volumes of born-digital records which come with significant access challenges. Drawing on examples from scientific archives, digital preservation, and web archives, this talk offers a series of provocations about the future of digital archival access at scale. It explores how archives could support AI-assisted discovery while maintaining the transparency, provenance, and trust that are essential to public accountability and meaningful engagement with the historical record.
Bio: Dr. Trevor Owens is Chief Research Officer at the American Institute of Physics, where he leads research programs in science policy, the history and culture of science, and the stewardship of the Niels Bohr Library & Archives. Previously, he served in leadership roles at the Library of Congress and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, supporting digital preservation, web archiving, and access to born-digital collections. He is the author of The Theory and Craft of Digital Preservation and After Disruption: A Future for Cultural Memory.