Generative AI as Cultural Artifact: Applying Anthropological Methods to AI Literacy

Abstract Against the backdrop of the transformative developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) of the early 2020s, this article seeks to apply principles of cultural analysis and anthropological thought in developing new pedagogical approaches to teaching about AI. The article begins by outlining areas of alignment between anthropological thought and AI, including the relationship between AI and two visions of technology: the Standard View of Technology (SVT) and Sociotechnical System (STS) view of technology. Following this, the article focuses more narrowly on Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) and its associated outputs, framing them as culturally mediated artifacts. These artifacts are examined as objects of study which can be used to develop and foster learners’ Critical AI Literacy (CAIL). To demonstrate this method, an exemplar educational task that uses GenAI imagery as an object of analysis is described to develop dialogue and discussion suitable to a constructivist-oriented educational context. Consequently, the article contributes to highlighting new ways in which multidisciplinary perspectives can be engaged in postdigital pedagogy.