History and Historians in the Age of AI

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence and its tools have sparked numerous debates within the Humanities. In this study, I aim to explore how AI tools contribute to History, while also introducing new responsibilities for historians. I also intend to analyse how AI, in conjunction with digitization, may help address the challenges of the zeitgeist, even as it pushes historians toward specific subfields. On the one hand, AI tools enable historians to work with diverse datasets and analyse large volumes of material—from digitized archives to textual data derived from oral history studies. Additionally, AI-based language tools allow historians to engage with sources in multiple languages, offering a level of accessibility previously unattainable. In an increasingly polarized and fragmented world, where scholars face challenges such as visa restrictions, AI and digitization ease many practical difficulties. On the other hand, these advancements place a new kind of burden on historians: the need to remain vigilant about the potential transformation of the discipline. Most notably, as AI tools introduce algorithmic interpretation and rely on “big data,” they risk amplifying existing biases, subjectivities, or overgeneralizations within historical sources. Therefore, I argue that scholars must adopt a new critical approach to ensure human oversight remains central to historical scholarship. In this study, I aim to discuss the advantages and drawbacks of AI in the discipline of history, ultimately suggesting that AI will not herald the downfall of the Humanities or its scholars. However, it will undoubtedly require the development of new methodologies and approaches to navigate its impact effectively.

Keywords: AI, History, Humanities, Digitization

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1007312