Stock images strongly influence the way people  think about the topics they illustrate. Research has repeatedly shown that many images of artificial intelligence are misleading and unhelpful. Coordinated by We and AI, Better Images of AI is a non-profit collaboration which runs a free library of more inclusive and transparent  images that anyone can use, and a community blog exploring visual narratives of AI.

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The UK Government recently announced the AI Skills Boost. It promised “free AI training for all,” and claimed that the courses will give people the skills needed to use AI tools effectively. We and AI have contributed to articles in Computer Weekly and Tech Policy Press highlighting the inadequacy of both the approach and the courses, and host an Open Letter calling for an investment not just in skills but public literacy.

Image: Zoya Yasmine / https://betterimagesofai.org / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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We edited a Topical Collection of research articles in the AI and Ethics Journal to explore perspectives on the impact of AI Hype and its ethical implications. The articles in this collection examine the ways in which myths, misrepresentation, and overinflation associated with AI capabilities and performance can influence policy agendas, business decisions, and individuals. The authors of identify how mechanisms such as framing, linguistic devices, terminology, and representation can influence mental models and the trajectory of future developments relating to AI.

Image: Clarote & AI4Media / https://betterimagesofai.org / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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With soaring investments into AI technologies and infrastructure and unabating coverage of AI stories in the media, AI is widely perceived as inevitable. However, this perception is shaped by narratives that diminish our agency as humans and present technology as advancing independently from human activity and interests. In response we have created a framework which outlines instances of initiatives actively defying narratives about the inevitability of AI. It explores instances of Resisting, Refusing, Reimagining and/or Reclaiming AI and is a conceptual framework for challenging the power dynamics underpinning AI technologies, in a variety of different ways.

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AI chatbots have been integrated into many aspects of daily life, often with little discussion or acknowledgement of the possible harms that this technology may cause. We conducted a narrative review of the current and potential harms that can be caused through interaction with AI chatbots, and identified and mapped 13 different types of harms to individual users, many which are still hidden.

Image: Hanna Barakat  & Archival Images of AI + AIxDESIGN / https://betterimagesofai.org / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Better Images of AI and We and AI have been exploring the role of visual and narrative metaphors in shaping our understanding of AI. As part of this we invited some researchers who have been conducting different types of research into the topic, to shed light on the ways metaphors can contribute to hype specifically. This informs a project we are conducting on building an annotated AI metaphor database.

Image: Rick Payne and team / https://betterimagesofai.org / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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