Otaku and AI: Reconsidering human, machine, and animal

Authors

  • Jing Bai Carleton University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3983/twc.2025.2703

Keywords:

Database, Database animal, Database consumption, Fan creation, Humanity, Otaku creation

Abstract

Referring to Japanese scholar Hiroki Azuma's database theory, this discourse analysis of otaku users' experiences with Waifu Labs, an artificial intelligence (AI) anime portrait generator, suggests an alternative perspective on the relationships between human and AI. The perspective challenges traditional definitions of human and humanity and encourages a reconsideration of our knowledge construction for the discussion of controversial issues surrounding AI applications.

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Published

2025-09-14

Issue

Vol. 46 (2025): General

Section

New currents

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Jing Bai

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