So you want to be an AI librarian?

When people hear the word AI, they usually picture code or automation. But a big part of the tech is the human work required to keep systems reliable.

As organizations adopt AI, this has become crucial. Who ensures the information powering these tools is accurate, complete, and safe to use?

Some companies are making this the work of AI librarians, people who curate, structure, and maintain the legal, HR, and operational intelligence that our AI systems depend on.

Google Trends data shows that searches for “AI librarian” have spiked in the last five months. In its 2024 report, consulting firm Korn Ferry also identified the job as one of the hottest new roles emerging in generative AI.

At Deel, I lead the team that includes our AI librarians. From my experience, here’s what the role involves, why it matters, and how you can break into this emerging field.

What is an AI librarian?

An AI librarian’s work combines library science, data governance, and rigorous fact-checking.

They do things like classify documents, verify information with experts in other departments (like legal or payroll), and organize knowledge for machine and human use. They work to preserve context, ensure consistent structure, and make sure systems retrieve information accurately.

These roles emerged out of necessity. AI failures in large organizations, including hallucinations or inconsistent answers, often come from poor data quality rather than flawed models.

See also: How to break into robotics without an engineering degree

AI librarians avoid this by defining standards, maintaining metadata, and spotting risks. They also ensure that the information entering AI systems is correct, current, and structured in a way the technology can understand.

This work complements content managers, data stewards, and traditional knowledge managers and provides the link that allows all these roles to rely on the AI tools they now use.

So how does this new role differ from its predecessors?

Content managers handle the creation and editing of content, focusing on optimizing these for engagement and search engine optimization. Data stewards, on the other hand, oversee the quality and privacy of data.

What does an AI librarian do in a day?

Enter the library