Will archivists be replaced by AI?
Updated
Archivists score 53 of 100 for AI exposure. The largest share of their task time, 69%, is work AI speeds up while they stay in charge. AI can take over 9% outright, and 22% stays with people.
- 9% AI can do it
- 69% AI helps
- 22% Needs a person
High exposure
Higher than 81% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 13 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 1 of them today, speeds up 9 and leaves 3 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Prepare archival records, such as document descriptions, to allow easy access to information. LLMs draft finding aids and metadata from scans; staff review. | 70% AI can do it |
| Research and record the origins and historical significance of archival materials. AI speeds source searching and drafting; interpretation stays with archivist. | 60% AI helps |
| Organize archival records and develop classification systems to facilitate access to archival materials. AI drafts classification schemes; archivists judge fit and provenance. | 55% AI helps |
| Create and maintain accessible, retrievable computer archives and databases, incorporating current advances in electronic information storage technology. AI writes scripts and queries; staff design and secure systems. | 55% AI helps |
| Select and edit documents for publication and display, applying knowledge of subject, literary expression, and presentation techniques. AI drafts edits and summaries; editorial selection needs subject expertise. | 55% AI helps |
| Specialize in an area of history or technology, researching topics or items relevant to collections to determine what should be retained or acquired. AI helps scan collection research; acquisition choices need expert judgement. | 50% AI helps |
| Provide reference services and assistance for users needing archival materials. AI answers routine queries; complex research help needs expert archivist. | 45% AI helps |
| Establish and administer policy guidelines concerning public access and use of materials. Policy drafting helps; legal and ethical sign off stays human. | 35% AI helps |
| Preserve records, documents, and objects, copying records to film, videotape, audiotape, disk, or computer formats as necessary. Fragile physical handling dominates; AI aids digital format planning. | 30% AI helps |
| Authenticate and appraise historical documents and archival materials. Physical examination dominates; AI assists with text and dating analysis. | 25% AI helps |
Show the other 3 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Coordinate educational and public outreach programs, such as tours, workshops, lectures, and classes. Live events need people; AI helps plan and promote. | 22% Needs a person |
| Locate new materials and direct their acquisition and display. Donor negotiation and physical acquisition need people. | 18% Needs a person |
| Direct activities of workers who assist in arranging, cataloguing, exhibiting, and maintaining collections of valuable materials. Supervising staff is interpersonal work requiring a human presence. | 15% Needs a person |
How archivists compare
All occupations (923)
Educational instruction and library (62)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $64,550 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 7,970 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +3.4% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Review AI-drafted finding aids against original scans and provenance records
- Maintain accession and description records in Archivists' Toolkit
- Appraise physical documents for provenance and authenticity
- Hold a subject specialty in one history or technology area
- Query and maintain archive databases in Microsoft Access
- Plan and deliver tours, workshops and lectures for collections
Safer roles nearby
5 related occupations with lower scores.
Questions about archivists and AI
Will AI replace archivists?
Partly. About 4 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly preparing document descriptions and researching the origins of materials. Physical handling of fragile records, donor negotiation and public programs stay with people.
Which archivist tasks is AI taking over?
Preparing archival records comes first, with an exposure score of 70 and an automate label. LLMs draft finding aids and metadata from scans, and staff review the output. Research into origins and historical significance follows at exposure 60, since AI speeds up source searching while the archivist still interprets what the sources mean.
Which archivist tasks stay human?
Coordinating outreach stays with people at exposure 22, since tours, workshops and lectures happen live. Locating new materials and directing acquisition sit at exposure 18 because donor negotiation and physical acquisition need a person in the room. Directing staff who catalogue and exhibit collections scores 15, because supervision is interpersonal work.
How can archivists stay valuable?
Check AI-drafted descriptions against original scans and provenance records before they go live. Keep Archivists' Toolkit as the system of record for accession and description data. Build subject expertise in one history or technology area so appraisal and acquisition decisions hold up. Learn to write queries in Microsoft Access and Excel for retrieval and database upkeep.
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