What is Artificial Intelligence, Algorithm & Data Literacy?

AI systems that filter, rank, and distribute information by learning from your data and behavior.

Social media algorithms learn from every click, scroll, pause, like, and share. They study what you engage with to build their own "rules" about your preferences, then curate your feed and recommendations - deciding which content gets your attention.

AI systems (like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini) that create original content such as text, images, code, or music in response to user prompts.

Unlike algorithmic AI that curates your feed, generative AI produces new outputs. It doesn't search the internet or verify facts - it generates text by predicting which words are most likely to come next based on patterns learned from massive amounts of training data.

A personalized information environment where AI algorithms show you content based on your past behavior, potentially limiting exposure to diverse perspectives.

Algorithms learn from your behavior and predict similar content you'll want to see next. This creates a bubble of content tailored to you - which can be helpful for finding things you enjoy, but also limiting because you might never encounter challenging ideas or different opinions.

A unique and personalized umbrella of information that changes the way we encounter ideas and information online.

Algorithms collect data based on what you seem to like and try to predict similar content you'll want to see next. This creates a narrow view of things it thinks you will like, potentially hiding difficult information and different opinions from you. When you only encounter information that reinforces what you already believe, it makes it seem like everyone agrees with you and limits your exposure to opposing viewpoints or factual corrections.

"Online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative, or offensive, typically posted in order to increase traffic to or engagement with a particular web page or social media content." (Oxford University Press, 2025 Word of the Year)

Content designed to make you angry or outraged so you'll stop scrolling and react. Algorithms prioritize ragebait because anger keeps you engaged - whether the content is true or helpful doesn't matter to the algorithm.

Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or intentions to non-human things - in this case, AI systems.

When AI uses conversational language or says "I think," it's easy to forget it's a statistical prediction system, not a thinking being. Even more so when we refer to AI systems as a “friend.” AI doesn't have beliefs, feelings, or consciousness - it's a tool that generates probable word patterns.

Using external tools (like calculators, GPS, or AI) to reduce the mental effort required to complete tasks.

When AI writes your essay or solves your problem, it eliminates the thinking and problem-solving that actually build your intellectual skills. Not all offloading is bad, but it's essential to be intentional about when we utilize AI and which skills we want to retain.

When AI generates confident-sounding content that is completely fabricated or factually incorrect.

AI models predict likely word sequences based on patterns, not facts. They can produce responses that sound authoritative and detailed but require fact-checking always. Just because an AI answer sounds right doesn't mean it is right.