Understanding "Democratization" in NLP and ML Research
Abstract: Recent improvements in natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) and increased mainstream adoption have led to researchers frequently discussing the "democratization" of artificial intelligence. In this paper, we seek to clarify how democratization is understood in NLP and ML publications, through large-scale mixed-methods analyses of papers using the keyword "democra*" published in NLP and adjacent venues. We find that democratization is most frequently used to convey (ease of) access to or use of technologies, without meaningfully engaging with theories of democratization, while research using other invocations of "democra*" tends to be grounded in theories of deliberation and debate. Based on our findings, we call for researchers to enrich their use of the term democratization with appropriate theory, towards democratic technologies beyond superficial access.
Paper Type: Long
Research Area: Ethics, Bias, and Fairness
Research Area Keywords: ethical considerations in NLP applications,reflections and critiques,values and culture
Contribution Types: Data analysis, Surveys
Languages Studied: English
Submission Number: 1764
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