Recent advances in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) dominate news cycles, adding to the hype surrounding these new, seemingly inevitable, technologies. But researchers, teachers and the wider public would all benefit from more thoroughly interrogating both these uncritical “AI hype” discourses and the underlying ideologies that structure these GenAI systems. This talk uses the concept of ‘mining’ a) to unearth who these popular AI discourses serve and b) to expose the ideologies that govern many of the major AI systems created by Silicon Valley companies. The talk concludes by pointing to another GenAI system—created right here in Aotearoa New Zealand—that operates according to a radically different ideology.
Collin Bjork is a Senior Lecturer at Massey University. Trained in rhetoric, Collin researches podcasting, AI, and science communication. He has won a Marsden Fund Fast Start grant, as well as Fulbright grants to Slovenia and Montenegro. Collin also produces a podcast called Pod Uni.
Part of the monthly series of talks brought to us by Royal Society of New Zealand Manawatū Branch.
Everyone welcome.
