Racial stereotypes vary in digital interactions

Racial stereotypes were upended during a recent study that involved artificial intelligence. New research from the University of Georgia found that Black bots were considered more competent and more human than white or Asian bots used in the same study. This contrasts with past research on human-to-human interactions. "We found that in the digital space, because Black AI is so unusual, stereotypes amplified in the opposite direction," said researcher Nicole Davis, a third-year doctoral student in UGA's Terry College of Business. "The Black bots were not just seen as competent, but really competent – more competent than the white or Asian bots."