If anyone can ask an AI chatbot a question and get an instant answer, what is a librarian for? It is a fair question, and the data shows real exposure for librarians' tasks. But it also shows steady demand, and a role that matters more, not less, when people are surrounded by AI-generated answers they need to judge.
The short answer: current evidence does not point to AI replacing librarians, though it is changing their work. The ILO's 2025 index places librarians and related information professionals in its significant-exposure band. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 3 percent growth for librarians from 2025 to 2035, but a 6 percent decline for library technicians and assistants, linked to decreased library use and budgets rather than to AI. Helping people find, check and use information, including AI output, stays a human job. Projections can be revised.
How exposed library jobs are
From the ILO's 2025 index, which scores tasks 0 to 1 for generative AI exposure:
| Occupation (ISCO-08) | ILO band | Mean task score |
|---|---|---|
| Librarians and Related Information Professionals | Gradient 3 | 0.55 |
| Archivists and Curators | Gradient 2 | 0.47 |
| Library Clerks | Gradient 2 | 0.46 |
| Gallery, Museum and Library Technicians | Gradient 1 | 0.37 |
Librarians score in gradient 3 because so much of their work is finding, summarizing and organizing information, which generative AI also does. The work that involves people, physical collections and programs scores lower.
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Librarians and library media specialists | Grow 3% | About 12,600 |
| Library technicians and assistants | Decline 6% | About 23,100 |
The BLS describes librarians as helping people find information and conduct research for personal and professional use, and says libraries are likely to continue to host a variety of services and activities, so librarians are expected to continue to be needed to manage libraries and help patrons find information. For library technicians and assistants, it links the projected decline to decreased library use and budget constraints in local government and education.
Library tasks AI is taking on
- Answering simple reference questions.
- Drafting catalog records and metadata for review.
- Summarizing articles and collections.
- Translating materials and signage. See will AI replace translators?
- Drafting newsletters, guides and program descriptions.
Why AI makes some library work more important
AI tools can produce confident but wrong answers and even sources that do not exist, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1). Teaching people to tell a reliable source from a plausible one has always been library work; AI raises the stakes. Libraries are a natural place to learn how to use AI tools, check their output and understand copyright. See checking AI output, AI literacy at work and AI-generated work and copyright.
What stays with the librarian
- The reference interview: working out what someone actually needs.
- Judging sources and teaching others to do it.
- Collections: choosing, preserving and giving access to materials.
- Community programs for children, job seekers, older adults and newcomers.
- Privacy: protecting what people read and search for, including when AI tools are involved. See AI agents and personal data.
How the job is changing
For librarians, AI is taking over some quick-answer and cataloging work, and the role shifts toward teaching information and AI literacy, curating trustworthy sources and running community services. The pressure on library support jobs comes mainly from library use and budgets. Librarians who can guide people through AI tools as well as traditional sources have a growing role.
See also will AI replace teachers?, will AI replace writers? and will AI take my job?
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for librarians at $68,270 in May 2025, against $50,980 for all workers. Across the 2 BLS occupations this page covers, median pay ranges from $38,760 to $68,270. The typical education needed to enter differs between the 2 BLS occupations this page covers. See how this job compares in AI exposure by pay and AI exposure by education level.
Questions and answers
Will AI replace librarians?
Not on current evidence. The BLS projects 3 percent US growth for librarians and library media specialists from 2025 to 2035, though library technicians and assistants are projected to decline 6 percent.
How exposed are librarians to AI?
The ILO places librarians and related information professionals in gradient 3, significant exposure, with a mean task score of 0.55.
Why are library technician jobs declining?
The BLS links the projected 6 percent decline to decreased library use and budget constraints in local government and education, rather than to AI.
How do librarians use AI?
For simple reference answers, draft catalog records, summaries, translations and outreach materials, while teaching people how to check AI answers and sources.
Is being a librarian still a good career?
US projections expect growth about as fast as average for librarians, with the role shifting toward information and AI literacy, curation and community services.