Ninth International Conference on Communication & Media Studies

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is embodied in machines, robots, self-driving cars, drones, interfaces, virtual agents, or Internet of Things. It is described as the ability of a computer or a robot to carry out human-like tasks that would normally require human intelligence such as vision, speech, natural language processing, planning, or reasoning. AI creates systems such as chatbots, image analysis tools, search engines, voice and face recognition, or machine translation. That means we can experience the result of AI, but we do not see the AI itself. Nevertheless, there is a flood of images about this technology that portray AI. Images do not only observe, witness and reflect on cultural processes such as digital transformation, but also shape them. The effect is profound, it reaches all aspects of life including people’s ideas about gender, ethnicity and sustainability. By understanding the imagery of AI and its interpretation in society it is possible to deconstruct and better understand the relation between technology and humans as a system. To be able to take part in the debate of the future society it is necessary to understand how the picture of it is constructed. The overarching research question which we derive from these considerations is: What do pictures tell us about AI and what do they not tell us about? The aim of the study is to discuss how AI is represented visually in public communication and whether this imagery helps society to engage with AI in a critical and responsible way.