UNC-Chapel Hill launches statewide study on libraries and generative AI in local communities

Initiative Launch: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has launched a two-year collaborative study focused on local libraries’ support for AI literacy in North Carolina communities.
Key Figures: The study involves Diane Kelly, María R. Estorino, and Michelle Underhill, highlighting expertise in data, university libraries, and state librarianship.
Project Scope: The project explores challenges and opportunities related to generative AI across North Carolina’s diverse communities.
Study Goals: The project aims to develop sustainable AI literacy strategies that meet local needs and ensure equitable participation in an AI-shaped information environment.
Partnership Focus: Collaboration with local public libraries to create practical AI literacy models based on community trust and local realities.
Funding and Duration: The project is funded and runs from summer 2026 through 2028, including participation from two sequential cohorts of libraries.
Statement of Intent: Project leaders emphasize developing inclusive strategies that accommodate the unique digital literacy challenges of different North Carolina communities.
Importance of Libraries: The initiative positions libraries as essential in guiding and informing communities about AI, ensuring that they serve as effective information hubs for AI literacy.

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