Indexers

Publishers in the 21st century will tend toward computer-assisted indexing, making it necessary for indexers to be well versed in the use of computer programs. Computers are not likely to replace human indexers, who have thought-processing abilities, anytime soon. Publishers of reference material, newspapers, and scholarly works will continue to value competent indexers. In addition, as information replaces manufacturing as the world's most valuable industry, some new opportunities for indexers should become available.

According to the Society of Indexers, by 2024 there were automated indexing tools capable of querying an entire manuscript and creating a draft index. However, because the results required extensive editing and checking, many professionals found it simpler to create an index from scratch. During the mid-2020s, generative artificial intelligence, specifically, was having a significant impact on many different industries, including publishing. However, the Society of Indexers argued that rational human indexing skills could not be easily duplicated by AI, which worked algorithmically.

“At the time of writing, there are no AI indexing tools,” the Society of Indexers explained in a March 2024 blog post. “Chatbots will suggest index headings for sections of text if you ask them, but the results are patchy, with poorly formed headings and not all concepts covered. Asking them to include page numbers often results in inventions, even if you point them at a particular edition of a work in the public domain. This is because the tools are making algorithmic, not rational judgements. Some chatbots recognise this, and will advise you to consult a professional indexer.”

As the capabilities of generative AI evolve, it seems likely that this technology will affect the indexing profession somehow. Whether it helps indexers to perform their work more efficiently or threatens their livelihood remains to be seen.