Indian academic librarians are displaying a thoughtfully positive attitude towards incorporating artificial intelligence in academic libraries recognizing its potential to boost efficiency through automation, resource discovery, data analysis but at the same time raising concerns about job displacement, ethics, bias, privacy, funding, and the need for substantial training and infrastructure to bridge skill gaps, leading to a proactive but prepared approach to integrating artificial intelligence for better user services. Artificial Intelligence is increasingly transforming academic libraries by enabling intelligent information retrieval, personalized services, and automation of routine operations. While developed nations have made significant progress in integrating artificial intelligence into library systems, developing countries such as India continue to face infrastructural, professional, and policy-related challenges. In this backdrop the paper examines the readiness of library professionals in adopting artificial intelligence in academic libraries with special reference to India. It reviews the evolution of digital libraries, existing artificial intelligence applications, relevant government policies, and the key obstacles affecting implementation. The study proposes measures to strengthen institutional preparedness, professional competencies, and policy alignment to facilitate effective adoption of artificial intelligence in academic library services.
Pranesh Shantaram (Sat,) studied this question.