Recognized International Leader and Speaker on Race, Gender and Ethnic Diversity and Inclusion and Implicit Bias
Dystopian Dreams, Utopian Nightmares: AI and the Permanence of Racism Professor Arnett asserts "When comparing and analyzing Westworld alongside Parable of the Sower and The Space Traders, one notable theme, common in Afrofuturistic work, emerges: the promise of utopia. The promise of utopia refers to how all three have elements of an ideal place for safety, comfort, and pleasure, which drive the main characters and their understanding of their worlds. However, these works, through incredible storytelling, satire, and vivid imagery, carefully demystify and deconstruct the idea of utopia. With great cynicism they reveal not only that promises of utopia are always illusory, but also, more dangerously, that utopian pursuits and appeals act to cloak more dystopian realities. It is often the attempts *1308 by the more privileged in society to build utopian dreams that forcefully trap those on the margins of society in dystopian nightmares. The remainder of this Essay explores the promise of utopia theme in the context of one of the most popular technological changes and innovations of our time, the emergence of generative AI, which has benefitted tremendously from utopian hype and promise, to the detriment of serious examination of its current and potential harms. Part I highlights utopian themes found in the Parable series, The Space Traders, and Westworld, and reflects on how some of these themes can be identified in the mainstream narratives about the potential of generative AI. As a contrast, Part I also explores how these works brilliantly uncover dystopias lurking behind the veneer of utopian progress, and how their approach could be useful in elevating the dystopic aspects of AI despite intense marketing and political subterfuge. Part II proposes four values--Ustopia, Sankofa, Data Justice, and Data Power--that should act as a guide as we wrestle with what the utopian/dystopian dichotomy may mean for current regulation and future law and advocacy concerning AI."