Inter(sectional) Alia(s): Ambiguity in Voice Agent Identity via Intersectional Japanese Self-Referents

TL;DR

This study explores how Japanese voice agents' identities are perceived through intersectional self-referents and voice, revealing gendering, ambiguity, and cultural nuances in social perception.

Contribution

It investigates the role of intersectional Japanese self-referents and voice in shaping perceptions of agent identity, highlighting cultural and social complexities.

Findings

Voice gendering observed in agent perceptions

Intersectional self-referents can evade gendering

Perceptions of age and formality intersect with gendering

Abstract

Conversational agents that mimic people have raised questions about the ethics of anthropomorphizing machines with human social identity cues. Critics have also questioned assumptions of identity neutrality in humanlike agents. Recent work has revealed that intersectional Japanese pronouns can elicit complex and sometimes evasive impressions of agent identity. Yet, the role of other "neutral" non-pronominal self-referents (NPSR) and voice as a socially expressive medium remains unexplored. In a crowdsourcing study, Japanese participants (N = 204) evaluated three ChatGPT voices (Juniper, Breeze, and Ember) using seven self-referents. We found strong evidence of voice gendering alongside the potential of intersectional self-referents to evade gendering, i.e., ambiguity through neutrality and elusiveness. Notably, perceptions of age and formality intersected with gendering as per sociolinguistic theories, especially boku and watakushi. This work provides a nuanced take on agent identity perceptions and champions intersectional and culturally-sensitive work on voice agents.