AustLit has launched a new project that uses data to explore representations of AI in Australian literature.
There is more than 100 years’ worth of Australian literature about AI and robotics. Nearly 2,000 such works are listed in the AustLit database, a bibliography of Australian literature that includes novels, screenplays, poetry and other kinds of literature.
These titles are often overlooked in policy-driven conversations. Literature both reflects and influences thinking about its subjects. It is a rich source of insights into social attitudes, imagined scenarios and what “responsible” technology looks like.
As part of an ongoing project, researchers from UQ's School of Communication and Arts and AustLit are creating a comprehensive list of Australian literature about AI and robots.
They explore this further in an article published in The Conversation, that looks at 5 Australian literary works of particular relevance to national conversations about AI.
