At the CESSDA Conference 2024, the first of four workshops, titled "The Role of AI in CESSDA Service Providers," explored the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance data archives and research infrastructures. Chaired by Bojana Tasic of FORS, the session brought together experts to discuss how AI can revolutionise the field.

Speakers Darren Bell (UK Data Service), Markus Tuominnen (Tietoarkisto - FSD), Sergeja Masten (ADP), Ricarda Braukmann (DANS), and Arnim Bleier (GESIS - Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences) showcased various AI applications within CESSDA Service Providers. These included the use of machine learning for metadata enrichment, keywording, marketing, and statistical analysis. Their presentations highlighted AI's ability to automate and enhance numerous processes, making data management more efficient and effective.

The ethical and legal considerations surrounding AI were a key focus of the workshop. Bojana Tasic led a discussion underscoring the importance of transparency, reproducibility, and responsible data usage. The rapid growth of AI and its significant impact were acknowledged, alongside potential negative outcomes such as privacy issues, data exploitation, and inherent biases in AI training data.

The discussion emphasised the need for further exploration of AI's potential in data archiving and the importance of addressing ethical and legal challenges. Significant advancements, such as the establishment of the ODISSEI Portal using machine learning to enhance metadata and keywording, were noted. However, concerns about AI's environmental impact, data source transparency, and inherent biases were also raised.

Concluding the workshop, Alen Vodopijevec (CESSDA) introduced the idea of establishing a CESSDA AI Working Group. This group would aim to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange in the rapidly evolving field of AI.

Overall, the workshop highlighted both the promising applications and the critical challenges of integrating AI into CESSDA Service Providers. It marked a crucial step towards more innovative and responsible data management practices.