ChatGPT and Generative AI in Reference Services: Opportunities, Risks, and the Changing Role of Reference Librarians

The rapid diffusion of ChatGPT and other generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems since late 2022 has begun to reshape how academic and public libraries deliver reference and information services. This article examines the opportunities that generative AI offers reference librarianship — including expanded query-handling capacity, personalized research assistance, and support for information literacy instruction — alongside the risks it introduces, such as factual hallucination, fabricated citations, threats to source verification, and new forms of academic dishonesty. Drawing on recent library and information science (LIS) literature, the article argues that generative AI is unlikely to replace reference librarians but is already redefining their role: from primary information providers toward AI-literacy educators, quality-control intermediaries, and ethical guides for AI-assisted research. The article concludes by outlining practical and policy implications for libraries adopting generative AI tools in reference work.