Value of Archives Upgraded in AI Era, Says NDC Minister Yeh Chun-hsien, Aiming to Make Them a National Knowledge Asset

(CNA reporter Pan Tzu-yu, Taipei, 10th) The National Archives Administration (NAA) is holding the two-day 'International Conference on Digital Governance and Smart Services for Archive Management' starting today, inviting experts from the US and Canada to deliver keynote speeches and discuss archival applications in the age of AI. National Development Council (NDC) Minister Yeh Chun-hsien stated that he hopes to chart a future development blueprint through emerging technologies, turning archives into an accessible knowledge asset for everyone.

This first-ever international conference by the NAA focuses on the diverse aspects of archive management and services in the digital era. The event features former Acting Archivist of the United States Trudy Huskamp Peterson, Librarian and Archivist of Canada Leslie Weir, as well as domestic scholars and experts in archives, information, and digital humanities.

In his address, Yeh Chun-hsien said the government is fully promoting the 'AI New Ten Great Constructions' to establish Taiwan as a 'Smart Tech Island.' He noted that national archives, as records of national development presenting a long historical context, are an indispensable data foundation for developing AI. The NDC will leverage emerging technologies to innovate archive management and services, combining digital multimedia and smart technology to realize the vision of an open and transparent smart government.

NAA Director-General Lin Chiu-yen delivered an opening speech on 'The First National Archives for Smart Access.' She said the NAA continues to promote digital transformation and has proposed five major 'Smart Access' strategies. These cover smart core management functions, digital-minded professional expertise, innovative digital service networks, digitally deepened participatory interaction, and technology-empowered cross-disciplinary R&D, applying emerging information technologies to the entire administration's operations and services.

Afterward, Peterson delivered a keynote speech titled 'Archives in the Age of AI.' Citing the Roman two-faced god Janus, Peterson emphasized that while AI possesses powerful information retrieval capabilities, the core professional functions of archivists, such as value appraisal and ethical discretion, remain irreplaceable. She asserted that archivists, like the two-faced god, must safeguard historical truth while having the foresight to anticipate the future. Furthermore, establishing international standards is an indispensable cornerstone for archive management to advance with AI.

The NAA pointed out that in addition to lectures by prominent international figures, domestic and foreign scholars and experts will engage in in-depth exchanges on topics such as digital application services for archives, digital competencies, digital resilience, digital governance, and digital transformation. A book launch for the 'National Archives Administration' will also be held, where Lin Chiu-yen and architect Kuo Ying-chao of JJP Architects & Planners will share their practical experience in building the archive. (Editor: Yang Lan-hsuan) 1150610