Work

ChatGPT’s interpretation of contested memoryscapes favours the voice of current governments, capitalism and the far-right

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This study examines political biases in ChatGPT-4o’s interpretations of memoryscapes linked to dictatorial regimes in Spanish-speaking countries. Using a least-to-most prompting model and a Discourse-Historical Approach (DHA), we analysed responses in both Spanish and English about three key memorial sites: the Valley of the Fallen (Spain), the ESMA Museum and Site of Memory (Argentina), and the Monument to Salvador Allende (Chile). Findings show a preference for dominant, capitalist, and government-aligned perspectives, often reinforced by far-right rhetoric, particularly in Spanish language. The research highlights generative AI’s influence in shaping heritage narratives and the challenges of ensuring unbiased and multi-vocal outputs. This study advances the fields of cultural heritage, digital humanities, and education, while also shedding light on the wider implications of ChatGPT’s outputs for memory politics and democratic governance.

Source: International Journal of Heritage Studies

DOI: 10.1080/13527258.2025.2543736

Authors: Tania González-Cantera, Chiara Bonacchi

Institutions: Universitat de Girona, University of Edinburgh

Language: English

Topic: Memory, Trauma, and Commemoration

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: green

Funder: Leverhulme Trust