Abstract:
When covid-19 stroke Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in 2020, academic libraries which are hubs and first point of contact were one of the sectors that experienced a contactless world. Online user and/or learning became the order of the day. Covid-19 posed contactless services. Academic libraries were forced to adapt, remain relevant, find innovative solutions, and offer services differently. Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are game-changers such as chatbots that have been deployed within academic libraries' operations as service enhancement tools that changed the user experience landscape. AI changes the way libraries offer services, communicate and serve their new generation of users. It increases operational efficiencies and effectiveness. Chatbot creates a conducive teaching and learning environment and provides access in a contactless environment. AI chatbots offer virtual services 24/7 and users can access them conveniently in their own time and space. The paper will discuss the use and benefits of artificial intelligence chatbots in reference services of academic libraries in general and particularly in the University of Pretoria Libraries. The paper will also attempt to evaluate the impact of IA chatbot both at the operational level and its usefulness to the client service portfolio.
