Sage report explores librarian leadership in the age of AI

The fourth Librarian Futures report reveals critical gaps—and opportunities—in how librarians can lead on AI integration in higher education. 

(20 May 2025) Technology from Sage has published the fourth instalment in its acclaimed Librarian Futures series: Librarian Leadership on the AI Frontier. The report explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the academic research journey—and the vital role librarians can play in guiding its responsible use.

Drawing on global surveys of over 1,000 students and 300 librarians, the findings uncover a complex relationship between confidence, capability, and trust in the academic use of AI. While over half of the students reported using AI tools like ChatGPT in their research, just 8% say they’ve received support from their librarian in doing so. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity: students overwhelmingly trust their librarians, with more than half saying they’d feel more confident using AI tools if recommended by them.

Key insights from the report:

• Over half of students reported using AI tools like ChatGPT in their research, but just 8% said their librarians supported them in their use of AI.
• Librarians are more varied in their AI use than students, experimenting with tools like Copilot for Microsoft 365, Elicit, and others.
• Students mostly use AI to simplify research tasks—summarizing articles, breaking down complex ideas, and proofreading.
• Students cite uncertainty around academic integrity as a reason for hesitating to use AI in deeper ways.
• Nearly one-third of students feel their librarians wouldn’t be able to help with feelings of academic overwhelm—highlighting a missed opportunity for proactive support.
• 27% of students wouldn’t look to anyone at their institution for AI guidance—more than those who would turn to a librarian (17%).

The announcement is here.