Statement of Shared Practice and UVA Archival AI Protocol

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The University of Virginia Archival AI Protocol establishes a practical standard governing how AI systems may access and use archival collections.

The Statement of Shared Practice translates the Protocol's principles into a collective commitment any institution can endorse, followed by a support system for archival institutions.

Shared practice helps institutions make informed decisions about AI training models in archives

Building on the AI Protocol, the Statement of Shared Practice is a set of six voluntary commitments intended to help guide institutions who own or steward unique cultural collections. These shared commitments aim to encourage intentional and responsible engagement with AI training models, and seek to protect the deep trust imbued in these cultural institutions.

We welcome memory institutions of all kinds to sign on, as we work together to proactively shape the future of archives.

Join us!
Endorse the Statement of Shared Practice

Read and download the Statement of Shared Practice Frequently Asked Questions

A key element of Shared Practice is the community: Signatories to the Statement of Shared Practice will have access to a shared, anonymized ledger of AI training requests participating institutions are receiving, along with general terms, giving insight into how peers are approaching similar requests.

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UVA Archival AI Protocol

The Protocol is a broad document offering a consistent position from which to evaluate, negotiate, and govern AI partnerships while protecting donors, communities, and institutional trust. The Protocol and its Adoption Kit are available as open implementation resources under CC BY 4.0 for any institution to adapt.