AI as a Child of Mother Earth: Regrounding Human-AI Interaction in Ecological Thinking
Chunchen Xu, Xiao Ge
TL;DR
The paper argues that anthropocentric AI design and environmental practices degrade ecological health and social equity. It advocates ecological thinking, reframing AI as a 'child of Mother Earth' to foster care, connection, and adaptive learning within human-ecology systems. A conceptual map and the notion of cultural symbiosis are introduced, supported by a storytelling frame (Fir) illustrating five scenes where AI and humans engage in embodied, Earth-centered interactions. Concrete design principles—ecological embeddedness, ecosystem-connected affordances, preservation of sensorium, and slow attention—are proposed, along with frameworks and discussions on challenges and multiple approaches to realize Earth-centered AI. The work aims to shift HCI/AI toward sustainable, just, and more-than-human-inclusive futures by marrying cultural insight with technical design.
Abstract
The anthropocentric cultural idea that humans are active agents exerting control over their environments has been largely normalized and inscribed in practices, policies, and products of contemporary industrialized societies. This view underlies a human-ecology relationship based on resource and knowledge extraction. To create a more sustainable and equitable future, it is essential to consider alternative cultural ideas rooted in ecological thinking. This perspective underscores the interconnectedness between humans and more-than-human worlds. We propose a path to reshape the human-ecology relationship by advocating for alternative human-AI interactions. In this paper, we undertake a critical comparison between anthropocentrism and ecological thinking, using storytelling to illustrate various human-AI interactions that embody ecological thinking. We also delineate a set of design principles aimed at guiding AI developments toward fostering a more caring human-ecology relationship.