Exposing the Ideology of Large Language Models with Creative Practices

Ideology is power exerted by language, whether generated by humans or machines. It manifests in the biases produced by Large Language Models (LLMs), reflecting power relations between users and providers. Following this assumption, we engaged in an artistic critique of how ChatGPT produces ideology. We conducted two experiential workshops with 20 artists, analysing their reflections and interactions through ethnographic inquiry and formal linguistic analysis grounded in Thompson’s account of ideology. The artists reported that both commercial goals and debiasing efforts constrain artistic expression, reinforcing dominant cultural values. To support critical engagement, we introduce a framework that maps recurring linguistic patterns in ChatGPT outputs to ideological modes of operation. This framework offers HCI practitioners an analytical tool to interrogate the socio–political implications of LLMs in design contexts. Our findings highlight the role of artists as critical agents in socio–technical transitions and call for interdisciplinary approaches to language technology critique.