AI as a Responsible Partner in FAIR Metadata Creation: Lessons Learned

Creating FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) metadata is essential for research data reuse, yet it often poses a significant challenge for data depositors. At the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR), located at the University of Michigan, we discovered a disconnect: while depositors are experts in their research, they struggle to translate this expertise into quality metadata. In response, ICPSR developed TurboCurator, an AI-driven tool that transforms depositor-provided content, like research summaries from publications/press releases and research plan methodologies, into metadata recommendations aligned with ICPSR's standards. This presentation chronicles our journey to integrate responsible AI into the metadata creation process, blending machine intelligence with human expertise to enhance the depositor experience while upholding transparency and control.