Shaping AI: Why the humanities matter in tech innovation

Doctoral candidate considers how the humanities' rich tradition of storytelling and character exploration can be harnessed to shape the future of AI

By Kem-Laurin Lubin

Faculty of Arts

Kem-Laurin Lubin, a PhD candidate at the University of Waterloo, explores the biases in artificial intelligence (AI) and their impact on marginalized communities. With a background in English and Rhetoric, Lubin brings a unique humanities-based perspective to her AI research. She is also the co-founder of the AI Global South Summit 2024, which focuses on sustainable tech futures.

Lubin’s research introduces "algorithmic ethopoeia," a modern adaptation of an ancient rhetorical tool used to characterize individuals. In today’s context, AI systems perform this role by collecting and analyzing human data to create digital profiles. However, these profiles often perpetuate biases, especially against marginalized groups. 

Lubin stresses the importance of the humanities in shaping ethical AI development, drawing parallels between the storytelling tradition in literature and the narratives created by AI algorithms. She argues for an interdisciplinary approach to AI, involving scholars from fields like philosophy, sociology, and linguistics, to ensure systems reflect diverse human experiences and promote fairness.

Her work highlights the dangers of biased AI systems, as explored in Safiya Noble’s *Algorithms of Oppression* and Shoshana Zuboff’s *The Age of Surveillance Capitalism*. Lubin calls for greater scholarly activism to reshape AI technologies in ways that uphold human dignity and prevent harmful digital fictions.

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