Echoes of Phobic Realism: Exploring Sociotechnical Phobias in Technotexts through Dystopian Collaborative Narratives of AI and Human Creativity

Abstract

This study examines the intersection of human creativity and artificial intelligence (AI) through a comparative analysis of narratives authored by inmates’ and AI. By focusing on themes of surveillance, dehumanization, identity and resistance within futuristic incarceration settings, the research reveals how storytelling serves as a lens to critique the ethical and societal implications of AI in punitive systems. Employing the frameworks of sociotechnical imaginaries and Phobic Realism, the study uncovers how these narratives reflect cultural anxieties and aspirations. Human-authored stories, enriched by lived experiences, offer emotionally authentic critiques of systemic control, while AI-generated narratives extrapolate societal fears into speculative futures. This research contributes to interdisciplinary debates on AI governance and the post-human condition, emphasizing the importance of storytelling in articulating the ethical and cultural dimensions of technological advancement. This study further emphasizes the preparation and orientation of individuals, particularly as engaged and creative readers of literature, to recognize that the fear of the unknown and expansive realm of artificial intelligence constitutes a construct that can be systematically deconstructed over time.