Perpetuating sex gaze in the digital era: A study of the female figure in AIGC images in Chinese social media

Abstract

Nowadays, Artificial Intelligence Generated content (AIGC) technology expands the channels of image generation, offering new avenues for content creation on social media platforms. However, deeper ethical reflection is needed to analyze whether the application of AIGC means taking a step forward or a step back. Compared with other similar social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube, Weibo is very active in using this technology, and this article uses the Chinese platform Weibo as a case study to analyze the gender-conscious issues reflected in AIGC images. The transformation of image information into visual representations documents the brand status of women in AIGC images, along with the evolution of these images regardless of the creators’ original intentions. The findings reveal that AIGC images on social media platforms such as Weibo prominently perpetuate stereotypes of women, a phenomenon that has not diminished with technological advancements, but has instead further marginalized women. The study concludes that ethical concerns around AIGC image content need to be addressed beyond AI platforms, advocating for the establishment of a governance community that incorporates diverse stakeholder interventions, thereby laying the groundwork for a more fair and equitable AI landscape.