The Language on GenAI: A Critical Exploration of Personification Metaphors in UNESCO’s Guidance for Generative AI in Education and Research

This paper examines how UNESCO’s Guidance for Generative AI in Education and Research uses personification metaphors to describe artificial intelligence and how these linguistic choices shape public understanding of AI’s educational role. Through critical discourse analysis, we identify personification metaphors that attribute human characteristics to AI: biological traits, cognitive abilities, and leadership qualities. These metaphors make technology appear more relatable while risking overly optimistic, techno-deterministic perspectives. These metaphors also construct a narrow educational future where AI serves as an essential teaching partner, potentially encouraging over-dependence while reducing critical human oversight. Our analysis reveals three key concerns: framing AI as an autonomous entity capable of substituting human educators in resource-limited contexts could inadvertently widen existing disparities; language influences how institutions integrate AI technologies; and educational discourse needs more expansive and critical perspectives on AI’s appropriate role. The findings highlight the necessity for nuanced discussions about AI in education that acknowledge both opportunities and limitations.