KALTHEUNER, Frederike (ed.)
Fake AI

From predicting criminality to sexual orientation, fake and deeply flawed Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rampant. Amidst this feverishly hyped atmosphere, this book interrogates the rise and fall of AI hype, pseudoscience and snake oil. Bringing together different perspectives and voices from across disciplines and countries, it draws connections between injustices inflicted by inappropriate AI. Each chapter unpacks lazy and harmful assumptions made by developers when designing AI tools and systems, and examines the existential underpinnings of the technology itself to ask: why are there so many useless, and even dangerously flawed, AI systems?

The book contains seventeen chapters charting the contemporary twists and turns of AI hype, pseudoscience and snake oil. Covering case studies ranging from automated content moderation to smart toothbrushes, and facial recognition to FinTech, the discussion draws on a diverse array of perspectives to build a picture of the banalities, particularities, benefits, and dangers of AI systems. Its contributing authors hail from a variety of backgrounds, including computer science, sociology, policy and governance, journalism, law, and more. [publisher's note]

Contributors: Razvan Amironesei, Aparna Ashok, Abeba Birhane, Crofton Black, Favour Borokini, Corinne Cath, Emily Denton, Serena Dokuaa Oduro, Alex Hanna, Adam Harvey, Fieke Jansen, Frederike Kaltheuner, Gemma Milne, Arvind Narayanan, Hilary Nicole, Ridwan Oloyede, Tulsi Parida, Aidan Peppin, Deborah Raji, Alexander Reben, Andrew Smart, Andrew Strait, James Vincent.

Published by Meatspace Press, 2024
Design by Carlos Romo-Melgar, John Philip Sage, and Roxy Zeiher
Technology / Essays