| Abstract | In modern American society, issues of poverty, mental illness, isolation, and environmental degradation stain the lived experiences of the masses. Rather than potentially solving the widening wealth gap in the nation, many Americans worry that the fast-paced advancement of technology, especially within artificial intelligence, will exacerbate class issues further. As with all technology, artificial intelligence exists as a tool that can be used for numerous applications and outcomes, but it operates within the mission of its users and programmers. What does it look like when artificial intelligence is used to exclude lower-class citizens from participation in society completely? Likewise, what does it look like when artificial intelligence is used to advance the progression toward equity in society? The science fiction and Afrofuturist piece, Stem of a Kind, explores these questions alongside themes of love, liberation, exploitation, community, and value. |
