Crafting a Situated Feminist Praxis for Data Regulation in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Background: This analysis critically examines the reliance on universalist truths within big data and artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Drawing on Donna Haraway’s critique of objectivity, it challenges the notion that these technologies are neutral, emphasizing their embedded systemic biases. Analysis: Through a reflection on evolving digital policy frameworks, including the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), this analysis highlights how the prevailing focus on individual rights and self-regulation fails to address the systemic marginalization inherent in AI development. By neglecting structural inequalities, these policies fall short of fostering equity and justice in AI systems. Conclusions and implications: The study concludes with a framework to establish a situated feminist praxis in AI policy. This twofold approach advocates for 1) recontextualizing AI systems to account for systemic biases and 2) ensuring meaningful participation from diverse marginalized communities in policymaking processes.