The International Council on Archives (ICA) organized a special webinar taking place on Thursday, 12 June 2025 at 12:00–13:00 CET (Paris time) during International Archives Week 2025 titled:
Access and Integrity in the Digital Age: Archives, AI, and Authenticity
This online event is part of International Archives Week 2025, in its seventh edition, which explores the global theme #ArchivesAreAccessible – Archives for Everyone.
In this 60-minute webinar, representatives from three of the ICA’s partners explored the evolving relationship between archives, artificial intelligence, and digital preservation, with a focus on maintaining access and integrity in digital collections. Through a series of case studies and reflections, speakers shared how AI is being integrated in digitisation projects, the challenges of authenticity in digital media, and practical frameworks for digital preservation that ensure long-term usability and trustworthiness of digital archives.
Digitization and AI for Access to Archives, discussed by Eng Sengsavang.
This discussion explores findings from a survey on AI uses in digitisation of documentary heritage materials, outlining how institutions are employing AI to increase access, alongside risks and challenges. It also discusses the launch of a digitisation project at UNESCO and strategies to incorporate AI to enhance access to digital collections.
Media Authenticity in the Age of AI: Building Trust and Transparency in Digital Cultural Heritage, presented by Frederik Temmermans (Photoconsortium).
This contribution explores the challenges of maintaining authenticity as AI reshapes how visual media are produced and accessed. Frederik reflects on archival implications, discussing provenance, contextualisation, and ethical communication to safeguard digital collections’ integrity.
From Access to Assurance: Digital Preservation in Practice, presented by Karyn Williamson (Digital Preservation Coalition).
This talk focuses on practical considerations for providing access to digital collections, emphasising the necessity of preservation to maintain authenticity, accuracy, and functionality. It introduces the DPC Rapid Assessment Model (RAM) framework to assess preservation readiness and develop roadmaps for sustained access.
- More information on the panellists and details on the event: https://www.ica.org/event/iaw2025-webinar-access-and-integrity-in-the-digital-age-archives-ai-and-authenticity/
