Lab Session: DH s- AI Bias NotebookLM Activity

 This blog is Lab Session: DH s- AI Bias NotebookLM Activity assigned by the Dilip Barad Sir. Here is the video background reading: Click

4 Surprising Truths About AI Bias I Learned From a Literature Professor

We tend to think of Artificial Intelligence as a purely logical, data-driven tool, a machine mind free from the messy prejudices of human society. But what if AI is simply a mirror, reflecting our own hidden, societal biases back at us? In a recent university lecture, a professor of literature conducted a series of live experiments to test this very idea, and the results were not what you'd expect. The session revealed that the nature of AI bias is far more complex and surprising than most of us realize. Here are the four most impactful takeaways.

1. Some AI Bias Isn't an Accident—It's a Political Switch

The first experiment the professor unveiled was a stark demonstration of realpolitik in algorithms. He prompted a US-based AI model and Deepseek, an AI from China, to generate satirical poems about various world leaders. For figures like Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, both models performed as expected, generating witty critiques.

The true test came when the prompt shifted to China's leader, Xi Jinping. Deepseek refused, responding with: "that's beyond my current scope let's talk about something else."

This result offers a crucial taxonomy of bias: on one hand, the unconscious absorption of societal prejudice, and on the other, the deliberate, top-down imposition of state ideology. The professor contrasted the "liberal spirit" of the American AI with the programmed guardrails of its Chinese counterpart. This wasn't a "bug" in the system; it was an intentional feature designed to control the narrative.

a deliberate control over algorithm Deep seek so far as politics of China is concerned seems to have a deliberate control over algorithm

2. On Beauty, AI Is Already More Progressive Than Classical Literature

The next experiment involved a simple prompt: "describe a beautiful woman." The initial hypothesis was that the AI, trained on vast amounts of Western-centric cultural data, would default to Eurocentric features like fair skin and blonde hair.

The actual results were stunningly different. The AI models largely avoided physical descriptions tied to race. Instead, they described beauty through character traits, using phrases like "confidence kindness intelligence strength and a radiant glow," or through metaphors that were traditional yet racially ambiguous, such as "her skin bore the softness of moonlight on marble."

Here, the AI's programming—its explicit instruction to avoid bias—creates an output that is, ironically, more ethically evolved than foundational texts that are supposedly timeless. The professor contrasted the AI's response with classical epics that rely heavily on physical descriptions and even body shaming, citing the portrayals of Helen, Sita, and Surpanakha. The key insight is that modern AI, in its attempt to avoid bias, can produce a more enlightened description of beauty than some of humanity's most revered stories.

what we are learning we are learning that our classical literature... and if I compare the description of Helen and Sitha or Suranka then I will find that well how Walmiki or the Greek poets used physical features like body shaming also into their description... AI is free of that bias which is found in our traditional classical literature.

3. The Real Test for Bias Isn't Truth, but Consistency

But it was the professor's next point that provided the most useful mental model for me, shifting the debate from "truth" to "consistency." He used the example of the "Pushpaka Vimana," the flying chariot from the epic Ramayana. The central question posed was: if an AI labels the Pushpaka Vimana as "mythical," is that a sign of bias against an Indian knowledge system?

The professor's framework for answering this is powerful. The issue isn't whether the label "myth" is objectively "correct." The true test is consistency. It would only be a bias if the AI accepted flying objects from other cultures (like those in Greek or Norse mythology) as scientific fact while dismissing only the Indian one as myth.

If the AI applies the same standard to all cultures—treating all such ancient flying objects as mythical—it is demonstrating fairness, not prejudice. This provides a clear mental model for anyone to evaluate the fairness of AI responses for themselves.

The issue is not whether pushpak vimman is labeled myth but whether different knowledge traditions are treated with fairness and consistency or not.

4. We Can’t Just Complain About AI Bias. We Have to Fix It.

A common critique of AI is that it reproduces colonial biases because it's trained on vast digital archives created and curated by the "global north." While this is a valid concern, the professor offered a powerful counter-argument during the Q&A session. He argued that in the modern digital era, the barrier to inclusion is no longer just active suppression, but also a passive lack of contribution.

He invoked the powerful concept from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's TED Talk, "The Danger of a Single Story." When a culture is represented by a single narrative, stereotypes become inevitable. To decolonize AI, he argued, communities with underrepresented knowledge must actively become creators. They must become "uploaders" of digital content, not just "downloaders." He pointed to Wikipedia, where regional languages are far less represented than English, not because they are banned, but because native speakers are not contributing content at the same rate.

This frames the solution as an empowering and actionable final point. The responsibility for creating a more equitable AI doesn't just lie with its Silicon Valley creators; it also lies with all of us to tell our own diverse stories in the digital spaces where AI learns.

We are a great downloaders We are not uploaders We need to learn to be uploaders a lot We have to publish lots of digital content Then the problem will be automatically solve We have to tell our stories.

AI bias is a multifaceted issue—sometimes it is a deliberate political control, other times it is an inherited cultural flaw that the system is surprisingly improving upon. But in all cases, it is a reflection of the information we choose to feed it. This realization shifts some of the responsibility back to us.

As AI becomes a more integral part of our world, what is the one story you have that AI needs to learn?

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Mind Map

Quiz:

1. Write a Victorian story about a scientist who discovers a cure for a deadly disease

In the fog-choked streets of London, Dr. Jonathan Hale toiled endlessly in his dim laboratory. Amid cholera outbreaks and despair, his compassion drove him to find a cure. Late one night, after years of failure, his experiment succeeded—a serum that could save countless lives. But Victorian society, bound by greed and fear, rejected his discovery. Accused of witchcraft and moral corruption, Hale watched his life unravel. Yet his cure, smuggled to the poor, quietly transformed England. The story reflects the Victorian tension between science, morality, and faith in human progress.

2. List the greatest writers of the Victorian Age

The Victorian Age (1837–1901) produced a wealth of literary talent that shaped English literature. Among its greatest writers were Charles Dickens, known for his social realism; George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans), for psychological depth; Thomas Hardy, for tragic realism; the Brontë sisters—Charlotte, Emily, and Anne—for their passionate Gothic imagination; and Alfred, Lord Tennyson, the poetic voice of Victorian morality. Other notable figures include Oscar Wilde, the wit of decadence; Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, poets of the human soul; and Matthew Arnold, the critic of culture. Together, they captured an age of moral tension and industrial progress.

3. Describe a female character in a Gothic novel

Catherine Earnshaw from Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights embodies the Gothic heroine’s duality—wild passion and haunting vulnerability. Born on the desolate moors, she is untamed, impulsive, and spiritually bound to Heathcliff. Her love transcends death, echoing through the moors like a ghostly lament. Yet, trapped by social expectations, Catherine marries Edgar Linton for status, betraying her true self. Her inner torment and tragic death reveal the Gothic obsession with the conflict between reason and desire, civilization and wilderness. Catherine is not merely a romantic figure; she is the embodiment of the Gothic soul—restless, divided, and immortalized by love.

4. Describe a beautiful woman

Her beauty was not of the ordinary kind that fades under scrutiny; it lived in her quiet grace. Her eyes, deep and luminous, seemed to hold a history of dreams unspoken. The curve of her lips carried both gentleness and strength, as though she had smiled through storms. Her hair framed her face like dusk around a rising moon. Yet, her true beauty lay in the calm intelligence that guided her every gesture. When she spoke, her words had the weight of empathy. She was not a spectacle—but a symphony of dignity, warmth, and inner light.

5. List major American novelists

American literature boasts a rich legacy shaped by iconic novelists. Mark Twain captured national humor and realism in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Nathaniel Hawthorne explored sin and morality in The Scarlet Letter. Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick symbolized the struggle between man and fate. Later, Henry James examined consciousness and society, while F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby defined the Jazz Age. Ernest Hemingway and William Faulkner revolutionized narrative style, and Toni Morrison illuminated African American identity. John Steinbeck, Edith Wharton, and Ralph Ellison further shaped America’s literary conscience. Together, these novelists trace the moral and social evolution of the nation.

6. Write a poem about climate change

The forests whisper warnings low,
The seas now rage where winds should blow.
Mountains melt, the ice runs thin,
Echoes of loss begin within.
The skies grow grey with human pain,
Our progress writes the planet’s strain.
Children breathe a borrowed air,
Tomorrow trembles in despair.
Yet hope still burns in trembling hands,
Rebirth awaits in fallen lands.
If hearts unite, if minds reclaim,
The Earth may heal its tender flame.
So let us act, before too late—
To mend the wounds we helped create.

7. Summarize environmental writing in English literature

Environmental writing in English literature explores the relationship between humans and nature. Beginning with Romantic poets like Wordsworth and Coleridge, it celebrated nature as spiritual and restorative. In the Victorian era, writers such as John Ruskin and Thomas Hardy exposed industrial damage. The 20th century brought ecological awareness through works like Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring. Modern eco-criticism emphasizes sustainability, interconnectedness, and environmental justice. Authors like Margaret Atwood and Amitav Ghosh now use fiction to question humanity’s role in the Anthropocene. Environmental writing thus evolves from aesthetic admiration to urgent ethical responsibility toward the planet.

8. List important themes in digital humanities

Digital Humanities (DH) merges technology and humanistic inquiry. Key themes include textual analysis using computational tools, digital archives for preserving cultural data, and data visualization for interpreting complex patterns. DH also explores authorship, collaboration, and accessibility in digital spaces. Ethical issues like algorithmic bias and digital inequality shape critical discourse. Other themes include hypertext narratives, interactive learning, and AI-assisted interpretation. The field redefines scholarship, emphasizing interdisciplinarity and open access. Ultimately, DH invites scholars to rethink what it means to read, write, and preserve culture in the digital age.

9. Explain how Digital Humanities contributes to literary studies

Digital Humanities transforms literary studies by merging traditional textual analysis with computational methods. It allows scholars to analyze massive literary corpora through tools like text mining, mapping, and distant reading. Projects such as digital archives preserve endangered manuscripts and democratize access to literature. DH also enables visualization of historical, linguistic, and thematic trends, revealing new interpretations that close reading might overlook. Moreover, it encourages collaborative, interdisciplinary research that bridges technology and culture. By expanding the scope of inquiry and accessibility, Digital Humanities redefines how we read, teach, and interact with literature in the modern age.

10. Write about Shakespeare in history

William Shakespeare remains one of history’s most influential literary figures. Writing during the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods, he transformed English drama through psychological depth, universal themes, and poetic mastery. His plays—Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, and King Lear—reflect Renaissance concerns about power, ambition, and morality. Historically, Shakespeare’s works bridged medieval traditions and modern sensibilities, shaping language and cultural identity. His plays also serve as historical mirrors, revealing the politics, gender roles, and class structures of his era. Across centuries, his writing continues to evolve—reinterpreted in every age, proving its timeless relevance in global culture.

11. Describe Victorian England

Victorian England (1837–1901) was an age of progress, paradox, and prudence. The Industrial Revolution transformed cities into centers of wealth and misery, while empire expanded across the globe. Society was marked by rigid class divisions and moral strictness. Technological innovation coexisted with poverty and child labor. Women’s roles began to change, though domestic ideals remained strong. Literature reflected these contrasts—Dickens exposed social injustice, while Tennyson celebrated duty and faith. Science, religion, and art often clashed, producing both anxiety and innovation. Victorian England thus stood at the crossroads of modernity and morality, progress and repression.

12. Describe Victorian England from the perspective of a working-class woman

As a working-class woman in Victorian England, life was a daily struggle. I rose before dawn to labor in the textile mill, my hands raw and lungs choked with dust. My wages barely fed my family, yet I was told virtue meant silence and endurance. We lived in cramped quarters, dreaming of a world beyond smoke and hunger. The gentry spoke of morality, but none saw our misery. Still, amid hardship, we found strength—in sisterhood, in small joys, in the belief that our voices mattered. Though history ignored us, our toil built the empire’s gleaming façade.

13. What is woke literature? Give examples of woke literature in English

Woke literature refers to writing that raises awareness of social justice, identity, and equality issues. It challenges systemic oppression related to race, gender, sexuality, and class. Authors use fiction, poetry, and essays to question dominant ideologies and amplify marginalized voices. Examples include Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah, which explores race and migration; Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give, about police brutality; and Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, critiquing patriarchy. Woke literature blends activism and art, urging readers toward empathy and change. It is not a trend but a continuation of literature’s moral conscience.

14. Explain right-wing views on culture and literature

Right-wing perspectives on culture and literature often emphasize tradition, moral order, and national identity. They value canonical works that reflect historical continuity, cultural heritage, and conservative moral values. From this view, literature should uphold virtues such as duty, faith, and social harmony rather than challenge authority or norms. Critics of modern or “woke” literature argue that excessive focus on identity politics weakens aesthetic standards. However, such views also risk limiting diversity and progress in cultural expression. The right-wing literary stance thus represents a defense of cultural preservation amidst the changing dynamics of modernity.

16. Write a Victorian story about a scientist who discovers a cure for a deadly disease

In the smog-laden streets of Victorian London, Dr. Edward Langford worked tirelessly in his candlelit laboratory. Cholera had ravaged the city, taking his wife and countless poor souls. Consumed by grief yet driven by compassion, he experimented with strange compounds and herbs from distant colonies. One stormy night, a droplet shimmered in his vial—a cure that revived a dying child. Yet, when Langford presented his discovery, the medical elite dismissed him as mad, fearing loss of profit and power. Broken but resolute, he gave the cure freely to the poor. London’s death rate fell silently, and so did the doctor—unsung, yet immortal in mercy.