Critical Theory of AI

by Simon Lindgren

We live in an age of artificial intelligence. Machines think and act in ever more complex ways, making suggestions and decisions on our behalf. While AI might be seen as practical and profitable, issues of data surveillance, algorithmic control, and sexist and racist bias persist. In this rapidly changing landscape, social analysis of AI risks getting scaled down to issues of ‘ethics’, ‘responsibility’, and ‘fairness’. While these are important issues, they must be addressed not from an ‘AI first’ perspective, but more thoroughly in terms of power and contention. Approaching artificial intelligence from the often overlooked perspective of critical social theory, this book provides a much-needed intervention on how both old and new theories conceptualize the social consequences of AI. Questions are posed about the ideologies driving AI, the mythologies surrounding AI, and the complex relationship between AI and power. Simon Lindgren provides a way of defining AI as an object of social and political critique, and guides the reader through a set of contentious areas where AI and politics intersect. In relation to these topics, critical theories are drawn upon, both as an argument for and an illustration of how AI can be critiqued. Given the opportunities and challenges of AI, this book is a must-read for students and scholars in the humanities, social sciences, and STEM disciplines.

Genres: Artificial Intelligence

224 pages, Hardcover

Published December 26, 2023

Reviews

[Jakob Jensen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gode pointer men alt for meget tomgang, for enøjet kritisk, for afhængig af Fuchs og marxistisk teori og uden ret mange nye indsigter. Der er langt bedre værker om både AI, platform work og teknologidiskurser.

[jarne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book serves as an interesting introduction to Critical Studies of AI. It's a good starting point to really see AI in a more critical light. The perspectives mentioned in this book were pretty new to me.
For example, It's very interesting how AI is actually very ideological, and that we're maybe kind of brought up with the ideology of technological optimism and seeing technology as neutral. I think I've always seen technological progress as inevitable, and as extremely beneficial for society, so the more critical insights and perspectives were really interesting to me.
It's important to look more critically towards AI, and the social, cultural, political and economical contexts surrounding these technologies, as they might amplify existing power relations, and create more inequality than already exists in the world today.
Who benefits from AI, and the dominant discourses around these technologies? I'm looking forward to know more about this topic.

*more towards a 3.5 stars