Afrofuturist Values for the Metaverse (Extended Abstract)

Abstract

Many emerging technologies, such as the immersive VR and AR devices forming the metaverse, are not just reminiscent of but inspired by devices found in popular science fiction texts. Yet, the stories that these technologies are drawn from do not often center marginalized communities and people of color. In this article, we propose that builders and users of these technologies turn to diverse creative texts as inspiration for the ethical codes that will shape the ways that these technologies are built and used. A study of 39 speculative fiction texts, including 20 that we identified as Afrofuturist, revealed three overarching themes that serve as recommendations for the creation and maintenance of a diverse and inclusive metaverse: Collective Power, Inclusive Engagement, and Cultural Specificity. We outline each recommendation through a textual analysis of three Afrofuturist texts – Esi Edugyan’s Washington Black (2018), Roger Ross Williams’ Traveling While Black (2019), and Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther (2018) – and specify the undercurrents of collectivity and co-production that bind them together. We suggest collaborative and critical reading methods for industry professionals and community members which may help to shape democratic processes governing the future of AI.