AI Authorship and the Role of the Librarian

Abstract

Debates about generative artificial intelligence (AI) authorship have intensified within higher education and among academic publishers, with divisive opinions about responsible collaboration versus prohibition of AI use. Within the field of library and information science, these debates are especially complex due to the field’s highly interdisciplinary nature, which brings together contributors from the humanities, social and natural sciences, and dual commitments to professional practice and technical innovation. This essay examines the tensions surrounding AI-assisted writing and argues for the need to move beyond the simplistic accept-prohibit dichotomy. Drawing on the previously introduced concept of “bothorship,” the paper proposes a model of responsible AI authorship that preserves human intellectual ownership while acknowledging the practical and equity-related benefits of AI-supported writing. Attention is given to the role of libraries and librarians – including theological libraries – in advancing AI literacy, supporting ethical writing practices, and mitigating structural inequities in scholarly communication.