THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY IN THE ALGORITHMIC SOCIETY: CHALLENGES, RISKS, AND GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCES

Abstract

he accelerated advancement of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) has reshaped research practices, academic writing, and the circulation of knowledge in higher education. This article critically analyzes the emerging challenges for academic libraries, considering the ethical, legal, and informational implications resulting from the growing use of these technologies. Through exploratory and bibliographic research, the central problem guiding this study is to understand which ethical, informational, and pedagogical challenges GAIs pose to academic libraries and how these institutions can develop institutional responses to address such impacts. Accordingly, the general objective is to analyze the effects of GAIs on the informational ecosystem of academic libraries and to propose guidelines for the ethical, safe, and educational use of these technologies. Specifically, the study seeks to: (a) identify informational transformations resulting from the adoption of GAIs; (b) map the ethical and epistemic risks associated with their use; and (c) discuss implications for informational mediation and user education. The findings highlight the impacts of GAIs on academic practices and library services, emphasizing risks such as automated plagiarism, algorithmic bias, erosion of scientific authorship, and the weakening of information literacy. Based on this analysis, the article proposes guidelines for ethical and strategic action by academic libraries, emphasizing the role of librarians as critical mediators and agents in fostering informational awareness within the algorithmic society. It concludes that libraries must assume a proactive position in educating users about the responsible use of GAIs, developing institutional policies and training programs that preserve scientific integrity.