Reconfiguring Participatory Design to Resist AI Realism
<|reference_start|>Reconfiguring Participatory Design to Resist AI Realism: The growing trend of artificial intelligence (AI) as a solution to social and technical problems reinforces AI Realism -- the belief that AI is an inevitable and natural order. In response, this paper argues that participatory design (PD), with its focus on democratic values and processes, can play a role in questioning and resisting AI Realism. I examine three concerning aspects of AI Realism: the facade of democratization that lacks true empowerment, demands for human adaptability in contrast to AI systems' inflexibility, and the obfuscation of essential human labor enabling the AI system. I propose resisting AI Realism by reconfiguring PD to continue engaging with value-centered visions, increasing its exploration of non-AI alternatives, and making the essential human labor underpinning AI systems visible. I position PD as a means to generate friction against AI Realism and open space for alternative futures centered on human needs and values.<|reference_end|>
@article{gautam2024reconfiguring,
    title={Reconfiguring Participatory Design to Resist AI Realism},
    author={Aakash Gautam},
    journal={Participatory Design Conference 2024},
    year={2024},
    doi={10.1145/3661455.3669867},
    archivePrefix={arXiv},
    eprint={2406.03245},
    primaryClass={cs.HC cs.AI cs.SI}
}