Critical AI Studies Meets Critical Political Economy

Verdegem, P. 2023. Critical AI Studies Meets Critical Political Economy. in: Lindgren, S. (ed.) Handbook of Critical Studies of Artificial Intelligence Cheltenham Edgar Elgar Publishing.

Chapter titleCritical AI Studies Meets Critical Political Economy
AuthorsVerdegem, P.
EditorsLindgren, S.
Abstract

Critical political economy (CPE) presents an ideal tool for dissecting the hype surrounding AI, by offering a framework for understanding how power and social inequalities have become inextricably woven into AI, its development and application. This chapter explores how AI as technical approaches, industrial infrastructures and social practices is determined by power. Using a CPE approach enables the analysis of how both economic power and symbolic power are at work in the field of AI. Economic power is seen in the concentration of AI industries and the tendency towards monopolisation. Symbolic power is the influence of dominant ideas about what type of AI society we need and desire, and reveals the limitations of AI ethics initiatives. The conclusion is that we must recognize the importance of social power if we want to achieve a radical democratization of AI.

KeywordsAI
political economy
power
ownership
ideology
critical AI
Book titleHandbook of Critical Studies of Artificial Intelligence
Year2023
PublisherEdgar Elgar Publishing
Publication dates
Published14 Nov 2023
Place of publicationCheltenham
ISBN9781803928555
9781803928562
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.4337/9781803928562.00033

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