Intersectional analysis of visual generative AI: the case of stable diffusion
Petra Jääskeläinen1, Nickhil Kumar Sharma2,3, Helen Pallett2
1Division of Media Technology and Interaction Design, Department of Human-Centered Technology, EECS, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.
Summary
Visual Generative AI (vGenAI) tools like Stable Diffusion perpetuate harmful biases, including racism and sexism, by reflecting societal power structures. This study calls for a social justice approach to vGenAI development and deployment.
Area of Science:
- Computer Science
- Sociology
- Media Studies
Background:
- Visual Generative AI (vGenAI) tools are rapidly adopted for photorealistic image creation.
- These technologies can mirror and perpetuate societal biases and power structures.
- Stable Diffusion (SD) is a prominent open-source vGenAI tool requiring critical examination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically analyze the aesthetics and underlying power systems in Stable Diffusion (SD)-generated imagery.
- To investigate how SD perpetuates societal inequalities such as racism, sexism, and colonialism.
- To propose a social justice-oriented approach for vGenAI development.
Main Methods:
- Visual and intersectional analysis of 180 SD-generated images.
- Drawing on feminist science and technology studies, visual media studies, and critical theory.
- Examining aesthetics, institutional contexts, and power system intersections.
Main Results:
- SD imagery perpetuates sexism, racism, heteronormativity, and ableism.
- Generated images often default to white, able-bodied, masculine representations.
- A tendency towards Euro- and North America-centric cultural representations was identified.
Conclusions:
- vGenAI tools like SD are not culturally or aesthetically neutral.
- Harmful and violent imagery is continually reproduced through these technologies.
- A reparative, social justice-oriented approach is needed to address vGenAI harms.
Keywords:
Algorithmic reparationCritical AIGenerative AIIntersectionalityRestorative justiceStable diffusionMore Related Videos
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