Generative AI in professional practice: possibilities, potential, pitfalls

Generative AI (artificial intelligence) is transforming higher education and with it the professional roles and administration that support it. In automating complex tasks, generating high quality content, and providing data-driven insights, generative AI can empower professionals to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness. For information professionals and IT specialists, who may be early adoptors on their campuses of innovations such as generative AI tools, there also presents risks whether it be data security and privacy, information provenance and reliability, and ethical challenges such as biases and transparency. Increasingly, the environmental impact of generative AI is also a consideration for institutions examining their sustainability footprint.

This presentation will explore the opportunities and pitfalls that generative AI presents to professional practice. It will highlight Flinders Library's thought leadership in promoting the early adoption of AI, both at the policy and operational levels. We will share insights from our institution's Microsoft 365 Copilot trial, in which four library staff members participated, demonstrating how this tool has not only supported operational efficiencies but also spurred critical conversations around the ethical and strategic implementation of AI across teaching learning and research at Flinders.

Audience participation will be invited throughout the presentation, providing an open forum in which to explore use cases in practice. Attendees will be provided opportunities to engage in an online Q&A (mentimeter) to capture experiences, thoughts, questions and challenges on AI in professional practice, with responses provided in real time.