Is resistance futile?

Abstract:

The emergence of the AI age is radically transforming the nature, purpose and politics of knowledge production, particularly collective knowledge production. While artificial intelligence is often celebrated as a powerful manifestation of collective knowledge, drawing upon vast repositories of human-generated information, it is built on exploitative and extractive practices. This editorial argues that genuine collective knowledge production must be distinguished from such extraction and instead be grounded in principles of social justice, recognition, and reciprocity. We contend that knowledge is inherently collective, emerging through dialogue, relationships, lived experiences, and shared creativity. Understanding knowledge in this way challenges notions of ownership and commodification, emphasizing instead relationality, participation, and responsibility. Additionally, collective knowledge production requires openness to diverse perspectives, ongoing dialogue, and a commitment to acknowledging individual contributions while serving the communities from which knowledge emerges. In resisting the appropriation of collective knowledge by AI-driven systems, we advocate for the decommodification of knowledge and the cultivation of collaborative practices capable of fostering more just, democratic, and equitable futures.

http://doi.org/10.54825/OKQN8953