Feminist Generative AI Lab

Recognizing the recent developments in generative AI technology and its widespread impact, the lab addresses the ethical challenges and opportunities inherent in this transformative field through a theoretical feminist lens. A feminist approach to technology goes beyond gender. Broadly understood, it is an approach that aims for less dominating alternatives, thinks beyond binary oppositions and embraces pluralism and difference.

Recent advances in generative AI technology, marked by increased accessibility and broad applicability across diverse contexts, have the potential to revolutionize societal structures, professions, activities, and human interactions. This brings forth exciting opportunities alongside significant ethical concerns. Such concerns arise from the lack of diversity in gender, race, and cultural narratives throughout the development and application of AI. Such tendencies intentionally and unintentionally perpetuate and reinforce systemic discriminations and inequalities, and prioritize profit over societal well-being, justice, and inclusion. The adoption of generative AI technologies at scale can propagate and amplify these risks, necessitating urgent exploration of the implications, pitfalls, and potentials of generative AI from an ethical standpoint.

Our research Lab applies feminist AI principles to the design, development, and deployment of generative AI solutions to support empowerment, inclusion, and justice across diverse domains. We examine and address aspects like intersectionality, hierarchies, and power structures within generative AI by employing methods such as participation, pluralism, and embodiment. This approach entails investigating various strategies to integrate AI, design, and data feminism, leveraging a multidisciplinary environment that merges expertise and methods from design, social sciences, and artificial intelligence. Together, we strive to chart a path towards a more ethical, inclusive, and socially just technological landscape.

Methodology

The overarching goal of the Feminist Generative AI Lab is to actively contribute to social empowerment, inclusion, and equity through AI research. Researchers within the lab embrace feminist AI principles, epistemological diversity, generative AI technologies, design approaches and ethical and responsible AI frameworks to investigate two interrelated research directions. Firstly, we aim to critically examine and mitigate inequalities and power imbalances that may be exacerbated by generative AI applications. A particular focus is placed on issues related to algorithmic bias, representation, and power dynamics in AI development that affect vulnerable and marginalized communities. Secondly, we aim to explore the potential of generative AI developed through a feminist lens to counteract existing societal bias and power imbalances.

By leveraging this unique perspective, the Lab seeks to contribute not only to the mitigation of AI ethical pitfalls but also to the establishment of generative AI systems that actively promote a more equitable and just society. Through its dual research directions, the lab aspires to pioneer transformative advancements at the intersection of generative AI and social justice.