What is it?
In the metaphor ‘AI revolution’, the word revolution is employed to describe AI as a powerful force for change and progress.
What does this metaphor suggest about AI?
The metaphor ‘AI revolution’ suggests that AI represents a technological and societal transformation.
The metaphor suggests that the widespread use of AI will mean more freedom, a novel resolution of society’s current problems, and unprecedented access to knowledge. It also points to the start of a new era of technological transformation that improves the conditions of human existence.
This metaphor is often associated with and compared to the concept of the ‘Industrial revolution’ to imply epochal transformation of technological change that will benefit society profoundly.
Where does the metaphor commonly appear?
This metaphor is often used in political speeches promoting investments in AI; by AI companies to emphasize the benefits of their products; in media when talking about the technological advances AI can bring; and by people in specific fields who want to promote the use of AI in that field (education, business, creative sector). These contexts seem to be universal, across geographies, languages, cultures and fields.
What does the metaphor highlight?
This metaphor highlights the positive meanings of revolution: change for the better, progress, better conditions for humanity and society, empowerment and benefits for the individual. It also highlights the inevitability of this change: even those who do not want it, are affected by it, because a revolution implies a profound and lasting effect. The metaphor also implies urgency: a revolution implies something is happening right now. Both the sense of inevitability and the sense of urgency the metaphor implies, emphasise the need to adopt this technology as fast as possible.
What does the metaphor hide?
By referring to these technological developments as a ‘revolution’, we no longer question the existence, meaning and use of the technology itself. The technology becomes the focus of our attention, rather than its effects on society. In this way, the metaphor also obscures the fact that AI is not an entity with agency. This causes people to think that some powerful entity that we have no say over is coming to change our lives. This obscures the fact that the way AI is developed by humans.
Whose interests does it tend to serve?
The metaphor is used by people or organisations that have an interest in advancing the adoption of the technology. It is often used to build a narrative around both the advantage of using the technology and the potential disadvantage of not using the technology and being left behind (in economic benefit, education, health, etc.). Comparing AI to a revolution makes it sound like it is wanted by and will benefit the people (as in the French Revolution), whereas it is actually driven by commercial interests.
