# Keynote: Interactional foundations for critical AI literacies

**URL:** <https://forum.swib.org/t/keynote-interactional-foundations-for-critical-ai-literacies/1723>\
**Category:** Talks@SWIB26\
**Tags:** s01-opening\
**Created:** [August 31, 2026, 1:12pm UTC](https://forum.swib.org/t/keynote-interactional-foundations-for-critical-ai-literacies/1723 "2026-08-31T13:12:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![system](https://forum.swib.org/uploads/default/original/1X/552f3b766b85ae672982d668fa421576c97ff4ea.png) [@system](https://forum.swib.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2026, 1:12pm UTC](https://forum.swib.org/t/keynote-interactional-foundations-for-critical-ai-literacies/1723/1 "2026-08-31T13:12:35Z")

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> **Event**
>
> **Starts:** November 16, 2026, 2:10pm (UTC)\
> **Ends:** November 16, 2026, 2:50pm (UTC)

### Presenter

Mark Dingemanse (@markding)

### Abstract

Today’s Large Language Models present themselves as all-knowing oracles, but are in fact closer to Borges’ Library of Babel: out of a swirling probability cloud of tokens they string together the most probable continuation of a prompt. They align seamlessly with human interactive preferences, but saddle users with the work of interpretation and verification. I review the sociotechnical and interactional roots of these irresistible interfaces, from divination to deep learning. I also discuss a range of responses they evoke. First-time users are typically enchanted. Non-experts are taken in by the suggestion of expertise. Managers are eager to embrace promises of efficiency, egged on by relentless marketing hype. Scholars have been more resistant, and some are leading the charge against the uncritical adoption of “AI” technologies (Guest et al., 2026). In this force field, public knowledge institutions like libraries, schools and universities occupy an important and privileged role. Not beholden to profit motives and capitalist logic, they can afford to foster critical literacies and to be mindfully slow (Stengers, 2018).

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Guest, Olivia, Marcela Suarez, Barbara Müller, Edwin van Meerkerk, Arnoud Oude Groote Beverborg, Ronald de Haan, Andrea Reyes Elizondo, Mark Blokpoel, Natalia Scharfenberg, Annelies Kleinherenbrink, Ileana Camerino, Marieke Woensdregt, Dagmar Monett, Jed Brown, Lucy Avraamidou, Juliette Alenda-Demoutiez, Felienne Hermans, and Iris van Rooij. 2026. ‘Against the Uncritical Adoption of “AI” Technologies in Academia’. Digital Culture & Education 16 (2). [Volume 16.2 — Digital Culture & Education (ISSN: 1836-8301)](https://www.digitalcultureandeducation.com/volume-162).

Stengers, Isabelle. 2018. Another Science Is Possible: A Manifesto for Slow Science. Translated by Stephen Muecke. English edition. Cambridge, UK: Polity.