Dear Colleagues,
On behalf of Dean Leo Lo, I'm happy to share the University of Virginia Archival AI Protocol. Dean Lo writes,
AI companies are running out of training data. They are coming to libraries. We published the University of Virginia Archival AI Protocol, a practical framework for evaluating AI company requests to use cultural heritage collections as training data.
The core principle: if an AI model absorbs archival materials in a way that cannot be reversed, and provenance and attribution cannot be demonstrated, access should not be granted. The institution must retain an enforceable right to stop.
In addition to the protocol, the Special Collections and Preservation Division of UVA Library has created a statement of intention around AI, which is attached.
We hope these documents help facilitate fruitful discussions in your archival organization,
Brenda
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Brenda Gunn, CA FSAA
University of Virginia Library
brenda.gunn@virginia.eduArchives Leadership Institute, Director 2024-2026
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