Sociotechnical Implications of Generative Artificial Intelligence for Information Access

TL;DR

This paper explores the societal and systemic impacts of generative AI on information access, emphasizing risks, evaluation challenges, and future research directions to ensure trustworthy information dissemination.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of the social implications and risks of generative AI in information access, along with evaluation and mitigation strategies.

Findings

Generative AI can transform information access but poses systemic risks.

Evaluation of AI-generated information remains a significant challenge.

Recommendations are proposed for mitigating risks and guiding future research.

Abstract

Robust access to trustworthy information is a critical need for society with implications for knowledge production, public health education, and promoting informed citizenry in democratic societies. Generative AI technologies may enable new ways to access information and improve effectiveness of existing information retrieval systems but we are only starting to understand and grapple with their long-term social implications. In this chapter, we present an overview of some of the systemic consequences and risks of employing generative AI in the context of information access. We also provide recommendations for evaluation and mitigation, and discuss challenges for future research.