Decoding AI Misconceptions and Their Impact on Creativity, Culture, and Equity

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Spring 3-25-2025

Publication Title

Oxford Intersections: AI in Society

DOI

10.1093/9780198945215.003.0148

Book Title

Oxford Intersections: AI in Society

Publisher

Oxford Academic

City

Oxford

Editor(s)

Philipp Hacker

Abstract

A growing body of literature continues to suggest that artificial intelligence profoundly influences cultural production and reshapes the knowledge work in industries such as art, media, literature, and design. However, this transformation has been accompanied by a surge in exaggerated claims and misconceptions about AI’s capabilities. The result is a schism on how misconceptions affect creative practices, particularly in diverse cultural contexts like sub-Saharan Africa. This study, therefore, examines how exaggerated narratives about AI influence cultural production, decision-making in creative industries, and public perceptions in Tanzania and Zambia. Inspired by Arvind Narayanan’s framework on “AI snake oil,” and through interviews, focus groups, and document analyses, the study identifies two dominant misconceptions: first, the overstatement of AI’s autonomy in artistic creation, which obscures the human labor and algorithmic constraints shaping AI-generated content; and second, the ethical risks of algorithmic bias, cultural homogenization, and economic displacement within creative industries. Findings reveal that AI-driven content disproportionately favors Western artistic norms, marginalizes indigenous storytelling traditions, and threatens the economic sustainability of creative labor as AI automation expands into design, music, and literary production. These dynamics not only undermine cultural authenticity but also exacerbate epistemic inequality by reinforcing digital colonialism. The study argues for AI literacy initiatives, culturally inclusive algorithmic training, and ethical governance frameworks to ensure equitable AI integration in creative economies.

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