Critical AI Literacy: From Silicon Valley Exploitation to Democratic Resistance
This book advances critical AI literacy by providing educators, students, and scholars with a rigorous conceptual framework for understanding, analyzing, and teaching artificial intelligence in its social, political, and educational contexts.
Its primary objectives are threefold: first, to offer a comprehensive critical AI literacy framework that equips educators with the tools to foster analytical and reflective engagement with AI; second, to demystify AI by clarifying its technical, social, and ideological dimensions for a broad audience; and third, to provide readers with the conceptual language and contextual knowledge necessary to understand AI’s role in shaping knowledge, decision-making, and civic life. By situating AI within the broader frameworks of critical media literacy and the propaganda model, the book emphasizes the ways in which AI is not neutral but operates as a socio-technical system embedded with ideological, economic, and political forces. It fills a significant gap in scholarship by addressing the scarcity of resources that combine critical theory, pedagogy, and practical strategies for engaging with AI.
This volume empowers students and scholars of media studies, communication, journalism, education, and beyond to critically evaluate AI’s influence on society, education, and democracy, while providing educators with the means to integrate these insights into teaching, research, and civic discourse.
Praise for Critical AI Literacy
“From the first eye-opening revelation that AI is a term invented by Public Relations to hype and monetize the technology, to the underlying economic drivers that have shaped its design and outcomes, Nolan Higdon argues persuasively that AI is not a neutral or objective tool. Instead, as he demonstrates, it functions within the broader structures of power, as it confirms societal biases and impairs democratic citizenship by supplanting independent critical inquiry. These are the predictable outcomes of a digital architecture that prioritizes algorithmic efficiency and capital accumulation over people and humanity. In these pages Higdon lays out a new critical AI literacy model, sharing the tools needed for students and citizens alike to navigate the digital worlds of deepfakes, “hallucinations” and “artificial unintelligence,” to help protect our “cognitive autonomy” from the monetization of our attention. Higdon understands the massive energy demands of data centers that strain global ecosystems, and he sounds the alarm for the need to turn this around and ensure that this new digital world serves humanity, and not the other way around.”
— Robin Andersen, Professor Emerita of Media Studies at Fordham University.
“In Critical AI Literacy, media scholar Nolan Higdon provides necessary historical context and timely analysis around the political economy of the corporate technocratic state that culminated in our current era of 'all AI all the time.' From its cheerleaders in Silicon Valley and the National Security State to workers struggling to keep their jobs and unsuspecting consumers oversharing online, the development and deployment of AI simply cannot be ignored given its political, economic, societal, and personal impacts. Higdon cuts through the hype; deconstructing and demystifying AI culture. While acknowledging the potential AI technology may bring, he also deftly outlines the dystopian reality of its current trajectory, calling out the anti-democratic oligarchs who plan to use it to achieve global hegemony. This book isn’t just about the challenges we face; it offers practical solutions. Higdon takes the right critical approach at a crucial time when we may not be able to put the AI genie back in the Big Tech bottle, but we can still work to understand, regulate, and place ethical guardrails around its use for the public good and fight back before it’s too late. “
“Big Tech's assault on democracy, media, pedagogy, and even the human imagination means to disempower and disenfranchise, make people stupid and passive. Higdon's multi-form response --- analysis, field guide, handbook, polemic --- authoritatively talks back to power and lies. Indeed, each of his chapters' well-argued conclusions arrives with a viable and practical critical literacy assignment, exercise, or tool useful to building "democratic resilience." Ask your chatbot if liberation teacher Paolo Friere would have welcomed this invaluable textbook of everyday empowerment. Go on, I dare you!”
- Andrew Tonkovich, Bibliocracy Radio
— Mickey Huff, Distinguished Director, Park Center for Independent Media; Professor of Journalism at Roy H. Park School of Communications, Ithaca College; President, Media Freedom Foundation; Executive Director, Project Censored
“Brilliant! AI literacy is desperately needed, and Higdon provides the tools and reasoning we need. A thoroughly researched, impeccably fair, and highly readable call for AI literacy. Much-needed sanity in a world seemingly gone insane. I love this book. I learned a lot and you will too.”
- Gary N. Smith, Emeritus Professor of Economics at Pomona College & author of The AI Delusion
“I’ve been waiting for this book. This is the book I needed. Nolan Higdon has brought us an essential guide to Critical AI Literacy. It took me longer to read than I had anticipated when I first dove in because I had to stop numerous times to take notes and extract quotes that I will be using in my classes when we discuss the invasive intrusion of AI into our lives.
Higdon offers a comprehensive and richly sourced tour through a critical analysis of what AI is doing to our culture, without succumbing to doomsday hype or an unrealistic absolutist abolitionist stance. Instead, he expertly explains how critical media literacy concepts and practices can be applied to this strange new world of all AI all the time.
Starting with a succinct history of digital technology development and hype, he then takes us through the political economy and social impact of AI and, using a range of critical theoretical frameworks, dissects how AI plays a role in social injustice and inequality, exploring crucial class, race, gender, sexuality, and disability issues.
In addition, Higdon’s book offers a range of critical interventions and strategies for resistance, embodying Antonio Gramsci’s famous plea that we must articulate “optimism of the will” to “pessimism of the intellect” when confronting immense social crises.”
“AI is reshaping society at extraordinary speed. This book cuts through the hype to reveal the history, power and interests shaping these technologies — and equips us to question them, challenge them and make better choices about what comes next. Essential reading for citizens of the digital age.”
- Alessandra Di Lorenzo, Executive Communications Adviser | AI & Digital Literacy Expert | Former Media CEO, CCO & CMO
- Bill Yousman, Ph.D., is Professor and Director of the Media Literacy and Digital Culture graduate program at Sacred Heart University.