Global governance and the normalization of artificial intelligence as ‘good’ for human health
(2023) In AI & Society: Knowledge, Culture and Communication- Abstract
- The term ‘artificial intelligence’ has arguably come to function in political discourse as, what Laclau called, an ‘empty signifier’. This article traces the shifting political discourse on AI within three key institutions of global governance–OHCHR, WHO, and UNESCO–and, in so doing, highlights the role of ‘crisis’ moments in justifying a series of pivotal re-articulations. Most important has been the attachment of AI to the narrative around digital automation in human healthcare. Greatly enabled by the societal context of the pandemic, all three institutions have moved from being critical of the unequal power relations in the economy of AI to, today, reframing themselves primarily as facilitators tasked with helping to ensure the... (More)
- The term ‘artificial intelligence’ has arguably come to function in political discourse as, what Laclau called, an ‘empty signifier’. This article traces the shifting political discourse on AI within three key institutions of global governance–OHCHR, WHO, and UNESCO–and, in so doing, highlights the role of ‘crisis’ moments in justifying a series of pivotal re-articulations. Most important has been the attachment of AI to the narrative around digital automation in human healthcare. Greatly enabled by the societal context of the pandemic, all three institutions have moved from being critical of the unequal power relations in the economy of AI to, today, reframing themselves primarily as facilitators tasked with helping to ensure the application of AI technologies. The analysis identifies a shift in which human health and healthcare is framed as in a ‘crisis’ to which AI technology is presented as the remedy. The article argues the need to trace these discursive shifts as a means by which to understand, monitor, and where necessary also hold to account these changes in the governance of AI in society. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/f3e13b88-3457-4a42-9114-63e103082f58
- author
- Strange, Michael and Tucker, Jason LU
- publishing date
- 2023
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Artificial intelligence, Health, Healthcare, Crises, Global Governance, Policy, Discourse
- in
- AI & Society: Knowledge, Culture and Communication
- pages
- 10 pages
- publisher
- Springer
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85171198964
- ISSN
- 1435-5655
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00146-023-01774-2
- project
- Politics of AI & Health: From Snake Oil to Social Good - Funded by Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program – Humanity and Society (WASP-HS)
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- id
- f3e13b88-3457-4a42-9114-63e103082f58
- date added to LUP
- 2024-09-12 09:50:02
- date last changed
- 2024-09-17 09:40:27
@article{f3e13b88-3457-4a42-9114-63e103082f58,
abstract = {{The term ‘artificial intelligence’ has arguably come to function in political discourse as, what Laclau called, an ‘empty signifier’. This article traces the shifting political discourse on AI within three key institutions of global governance–OHCHR, WHO, and UNESCO–and, in so doing, highlights the role of ‘crisis’ moments in justifying a series of pivotal re-articulations. Most important has been the attachment of AI to the narrative around digital automation in human healthcare. Greatly enabled by the societal context of the pandemic, all three institutions have moved from being critical of the unequal power relations in the economy of AI to, today, reframing themselves primarily as facilitators tasked with helping to ensure the application of AI technologies. The analysis identifies a shift in which human health and healthcare is framed as in a ‘crisis’ to which AI technology is presented as the remedy. The article argues the need to trace these discursive shifts as a means by which to understand, monitor, and where necessary also hold to account these changes in the governance of AI in society.}},
author = {{Strange, Michael and Tucker, Jason}},
issn = {{1435-5655}},
keywords = {{Artificial intelligence; Health; Healthcare; Crises; Global Governance; Policy; Discourse}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Springer}},
series = {{AI & Society: Knowledge, Culture and Communication}},
title = {{Global governance and the normalization of artificial intelligence as ‘good’ for human health}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/195023884/Global_governance_and_the_normalization_of_artificial_intelligence_as_good_for_human_health.pdf}},
doi = {{10.1007/s00146-023-01774-2}},
year = {{2023}},
}