Cultural Perspectives and Expectations for Generative AI: A Global Survey Approach

TL;DR

This study explores global attitudes towards cultural representation in Generative AI through a large-scale survey, highlighting diverse perspectives and proposing inclusive development guidelines.

Contribution

It provides empirical insights into cultural understandings related to GenAI and offers recommendations for culturally sensitive AI development.

Findings

Diverse definitions of culture across regions

Community-driven approaches to cultural representation

Framework for addressing cultural sensitivities in GenAI

Abstract

There is a lack of empirical evidence about global attitudes around whether and how GenAI should represent cultures. This paper assesses understandings and beliefs about culture as it relates to GenAI from a large-scale global survey. We gathered data about what culture means to different groups, and about how GenAI should approach the representation of cultural artifacts, concepts, or values. We distill working definitions of culture directly from these communities to build an understanding of its conceptual complexities and how they relate to representations in Generative AI. We survey from across parts of Europe, North and South America, Asia, and Africa. We conclude with a set of recommendations for Culture and GenAI development. These include participatory approaches, prioritizing specific cultural dimensions beyond geography, such as religion and tradition, and a sensitivity framework for addressing cultural ``redlines''.