Speaker
Description
The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies is reshaping the landscape of data management in digitisation workflows. As institutions increasingly seek to transform analogue collections into structured and accessible digital datasets, AI offers new opportunities—while also introducing novel challenges. This presentation explores the integration of AI tools into archival digitisation processes, with a focus on enhancing metadata extraction, content classification, and transcription accuracy.
Drawing on both South African and international case studies, the session demonstrates how tools such as Transkribus, the MIRA platform, and LLM-powered redaction frameworks are being used to automate key stages of the digitisation pipeline. It also addresses the implications of these technologies for institutional capacity, data infrastructure, and compliance with privacy regulations such as POPIA.
The talk will highlight:
• AI-driven improvements in document processing and workflow efficiency
• Emerging risks around data quality, bias, and ethical AI use
• Strategic recommendations for responsibly adopting AI in institutional settings
While building on themes addressed during International Archives Day 2025, this contribution shifts the focus to the competencies, standards, and infrastructure needed to ensure trustworthy AI implementation in data-intensive environments.
