Cultural Representation and Ideology in DALL·E Supported Designs
Chapter from the book:
Kaya,
S.
E.
&
Arslan,
D.
(eds.)
2023.
Current Readings on Graphic Design.
Synopsis
Cultural representation is based on epistemology. The ontological existence of a culture depends on that society's experiential interactions, forms of visual expression, and ways of reflecting its values through language. When evaluated from a contemporary perspective, DALL·E 3 appears as an artificial intelligence model that reproduces the existence of cultural themes and forms of representation that will be passed on to future generations. DALL·E 3 is capable of interpreting much of the cultural semiotics by analyzing large data sets with an interpretive skill that reveals the underlying meanings of contemporary narratives. Its competence in areas such as interlingual translation, symbolic interpretations, and creating personalized content, especially regarding cultural similarities and differences, offers a research field that requires critical examination. Recommendation systems used in artificial intelligence technologies are known as coded (algorithmic) structures that offer personalized preferences in line with users' interests and preferences. In this study, which examines the dominant codes in these systems, it is aimed to analyze how artificial intelligence systems interfere with the cultural codes of the user. Focusing on how the hegemonic characters of algorithms affect the cultural codes of individuals will enable the resolution of a paradox regarding the direction in which the future of cultural transmissions will proceed. For this reason, at the intersection of objective and subjective approaches in the data sets of artificial intelligence-supported design, the internal ideological values of prompt writers can affect the outcome and axiological process of the design. From a critical theory perspective, it is important to identify potential biases and cultural impasses in these rapid outputs. In this book chapter, which is about the epistemological foundations of cultural representations related to artificial intelligence, it is analyzed how DALL·E 3, one of the artificial intelligence technologies, interprets the prompts given to it on themes focused on culture, class, gender, ideology and religion. As a result of the analysis obtained, the effect of artificial intelligence on cultural representation and ideological power was evaluated. In addition, in order to decipher the general approaches of artificial intelligence models towards the concepts of culture and ideology, visual analyzes were compared on a small sample set using Midjourney, a similar artificial intelligence model.