AI, Digital Humanities, and the Legacies of Colonial Power

This paper examines the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on digital humanities through a colonial lens, analyzing how AI can both reinforce and challenge colonial power dynamics. AI tools in digital humanities, such as text mining and language preservation, often perpetuate Western epistemologies and marginalize non-Western perspectives due to biases in data and algorithms. Using case studies, such as the Slave Voyages database and indigenous language preservation projects, this paper highlights AI’s dual role as both a potential perpetuator of colonial legacies and a tool for decolonization. It recommends inclusive AI design, community-driven data governance, and the integration of alternative epistemologies to mitigate AI’s colonial biases and promote more equitable knowledge production.