Gender, Identity, and Boundaries in the AI Era

On 14 October 2024, the Department of Humanities, Languages and Translation and the Research Institute for Digital Culture and Humanities (RIDCH) jointly hosted a seminar entitled “Gender, Identity, and Boundaries in the AI Era” at the main campus of Hong Kong Metropolitan University. This event is part of RIDCH’s ongoing research project series, “Chinese Science Fiction in the Digital Age”. To commemorate the 35th anniversary of the establishment of HKMU, this event specially invited distinguished science fiction authors Mr Chen Qiufan and Ms Tang Fei, alongside two scholars of science fiction literature, Dr Liu Xi and Dr Yu Xuying. Together, they engaged in a thorough, multifaceted exploration of the impacts and challenges that artificial intelligence poses to gender, identity, and boundaries.

The two authors emphasised the role of science fiction in dismantling binary oppositions and examining complex realities, asserting that speculative writing plays a vital role in observing and contemplating future societies and symbiotic relationships. Their works centred on marginalised groups and those left behind by societal progress, offering critical reflections on the impact of accelerationism and technological development on human society.

The guests collectively scrutinised the issue of AI technology potentially replicating or amplifying gender biases due to the absorption of existing biases during algorithm training processes. They noted, for instance, that in recruitment processes, AI might exacerbate biases due to gender inequalities present in the training datasets. Moreover, they observed that technological developments can have diverse impacts in different sociocultural contexts. As an example, reproductive surrogacy technology may affect existing gender relations differently across various social, cultural, and economic backgrounds. In the context of digitalisation and globalisation, individual identity formation is becoming increasingly complex and fluid. Traditional family structures and social roles are undergoing transformation, and artificial intelligence and digital technologies may redefine these relationships, raising new social questions.

The emergence of AI writing has prompted a reconsideration of the essence of human creativity. Both authors asserted that even in the AI era, human creativity remains irreplaceable, and future literature will continue to evolve or be reborn in new forms. The speakers encouraged the students to write about themselves and to document our era.

The event attracted over 120 participants, creating a vibrant atmosphere for the academic discussion.