AI spotlight: Pairing human and artificial intelligence at the Library of Congress  

Leaders at every level of government are using artificial intelligence to help their teams, offices and agencies work more efficiently and effectively.  

The Partnership for Public Service’s AI Center for Government ™ is publishing a series of blog posts to celebrate how AI and intelligent automation are being used in government to serve the public. 

Recently, we sat down with Natalie Buda Smith, director of digital strategy at the Library of Congress, to learn more about her work to promote AI integration across the agency.  

Responses below have been lightly edited for clarity.  

How are you and your team using AI? 

“The Library has been considering AI for quite a while. We’re dedicated to the principle of “humans in the loop,” meaning we’re experimenting with and using AI in ways that can be checked with the human knowledge and expertise we’re so fortunate to have. Digitization is a big part of the work that we do. …We have explored how to effectively digitize materials so that they’re available online and as data. [We have tested generating] metadata around those materials so that you can aid search and discovery.  

“We’re also known for high-quality analysis and reports on many topics. …So, we’re also thinking through use cases on how to apply AI for analysis of data, so that you can use these very rich sources of data that [the federal government] produces as a source of information. And then, looking at this history of high-quality analysis and reports, considering how we build upon that knowledge that has already been created.”  

How did you prepare your team to understand the possibilities of using AI in day-to-day work?

“Bringing AI into the Library, as in any other federal agency, is a very large transformation, and the human component of that is essential to success. So upskilling and training is very important. And that’s something that we try to consider from the beginning.  

“We have an AI community of practice that anyone in the Library is welcome to join, and we address topics that are both applicable to the Library and to federal work. Because this field is changing so quickly, we also work with our Human Capital Directorate, which has been phenomenal, to have online training available. Anyone [who is Library staff] has access to asynchronous AI training so that they can start to learn more about this topic.  

“We also have staff that keep up with, produce or find the highest quality training with these new topics that are coming up. [That way,] we’re prepared to address and answer some questions that we’re getting.”   

Why do you use subject-matter expertise to help develop AI tools?

“The best people to make the decisions about what is the best AI technique or use case are the staff in that workflow. And you get a double benefit: You get the subject-matter expertise, so staff can actually bring that experience to help make those decisions, and they also get upskilled along the way.  

“We often talk about [it] here at the library: We may have implemented the AI service, or we may have evaluated a model, but six months later, there’s a better version, a better model.  

“So, it’s not a ‘one and done’ with AI. It’s moving so quickly that you have to think of it as a program. And that’s why the use case is so important. That’s why more of that human orientation is so important, because the technology is going to change.” 

We’re here to help

At the AI Center for Government, we believe this moment calls for thoughtful, courageous and connected leadership. The kind of leadership that focuses on public value, includes every agency, and meets the urgency of this moment with clarity and care. 

If your agency is taking steps to lead AI well, we’d love to learn from you. Join us as we highlight real-world AI use cases and convene public-sector leaders from across the country to share tools and insights to lead confidently in the age of AI. 

• Sign up for our newsletter 

• Check out our AI Center for Government programs, resources and events 

• Get in touch! Email us at [email protected].