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While the implications of AI on society have been a major topic of discussion across disciplines, the impacts and potentials of AI tools in archival reference have not been fully explored. As of early 2026, we know anecdotally that AI research tools and search tools have qualitatively influenced and changed the work of reference staff. Less clear, however, was how these changes have influenced inquiries and whether they applied to online-only or in-person reference services as well. So what happens when users arrive (or more likely send inquiries by email) and expect ChatGPT-style answers but encounter collections described at the series level? What do reference archivists need to know about AI in order to support user access in the current technology moment? The Archivists in the Loop convening discussed challenges and opportunities that AI tools raise in the context of archival reference. Participants addressed questions such as: How do users’ expectations and archival practices continue to diverge, and can we bring them together through archival reference services and using technology? How is generative AI affecting archival reference services? What do reference archivists need to know about AI in order to support user access?

The Archivists in the Loop symposium convened a small group of participants with various perspectives on AI research in archives for a two-day series of interactive panels and group discussions on the topics of description, archival reference, access, and technology. Following the symposium, we will continue to report on the convening’s discussions and findings. We plan to invite comment from a broad range of archival practitioners and scholars. In the next phase, we have published a report, and continue working to develop next steps to spur conversation and produce tools and guides for reference archivists about AI tools, implications for user access services, and potential future research steps.

Links to the 2026 symposium schedule have been removed from the site’s main menus, but the schedule is still available at the schedule page.