Author: Kristina Neos

Kristina Neos

The exploration of Artificial Intelligence and The Xenogenesis Trilogy by Octavia Butler
has driven me to think about real-world issues differently than before this course. At the
beginning of the semester, I kept the two big topics separate in my mind. On one side, I had
Butler’s unsettling sci-fi story about aliens, consent, and humanity. On the other side, I was
thinking about artificial intelligence and how it could transform our world for the better. I was more excited about the possibilities of AI, especially in medicine and education. And I was disturbed by Dawn, the first book in Butler’s trilogy, where humans are saved by aliens in ways that feel more like domination and tyranny than help. As I read further into the trilogy and reflected on our class discussions, I realized that Butler’s vision was not just a distant, speculative warning, but a literal mirror to the ethical challenges we face today with AI. It became extremely clear that both the Oankali and AI technologies, while presented as forces of progress, often come with hidden issues of autonomy and self-determination.

In my Butler Trouble essay, I focused on how the Oankali, the alien species in Dawn,
control human futures through genetic manipulation. At first, this is strictly pure as a dystopian violation of autonomy and restriction of fundamental human rights. The Oankali insisted, “We must do it, it renews us, enables us to survive as an evolving species” (Dawn, 43). Initially, this sounded like a noble mission, a way to avoid extinction and continue the population. But as time went on and we read the rest of the trilogy and explored the real intentions, it reminded me more of the ways AI is sometimes stationed in our world today. In my AI-inspired essay, I celebrated AI’s potential to replace our futures for good. But I now see that I was mostly focused on the benefits, not the boundaries. Butler’s portrayal of the Oankali made me reconsider the hidden costs of help when it is offered without any agency or choice.

One of the most unsettling parallels between the Oankali and AI is how both offer “help”
that interferes with consent. In Dawn, Lilith is awakened by the Oankali after Earth’s destruction and told she must prepare other humans to join this new way of hybrid life. We see Lilith question, resist, and hesitate, but ultimately, she with no other option if she wants to survive or succeed. The Oankali present their decisions as the only way and superior to everything else. This made me think of the algorithmic systems we have spoken about in class that are framed as inevitable to humanity. I am referring to automated hiring tools, surveillance technologies, or any form of artificial intelligence in this regard. These systems are sold as optimization but often come with the unspoken assumption that their creator knows best and inevitably benefits and saves humanity. In the article we read at the beginning of the course, The New Artificial Intelligentsia, Ruha Benjamin explores this idea of AI being portrayed as the savior and not the issue. She mentions, “Gebru and Torres explain that the discriminatory attitudes of past eugenicists (racism, xenophobia, classism, ableism, and sexism) remain widespread within the AGI movement, resulting in systems that harm marginalized groups and centralize power under the guise of “safety” and “benefiting humanity” (Benjamin, 2024). She argues that AI is not just a tool but a system that reshapes society, often reinforcing existing power imbalances. Who controls these systems? Who benefits the most?

As I moved deeper into Butler’s trilogy, my perspective on AI also shifted. In Adulthood
Rites, we see Akin, Lilith’s human-Oankali child, struggle to bridge the gap between species. He has the potential to bring true understanding between humans and Oankali, but is constantly aware of the weight of his hybrid identity, the ways his existence challenges the boundaries of consent and freedom. This reminded me of the ways AI often presents itself as a bridge between consumers and its products, but rarely questions who makes these types of connections. Akin’s journey in Adulthood Rites felt like a cautionary tale for our present day, a reminder that being a bridge can also mean being pulled in many directions, misunderstood, and often at times, sacrificed for a broader image of progress for others.

In Imago, the final book, we meet Jodah, a being who is both human and Oankali,
something truly new. Jodahs offers a different kind of hope, one that isn’t just about dominating or assimilating but learning and adapting. Judas says, “It continued to focus on me silently. There were times when I envied Humans their ability to shut off their sight by closing their eyes, shut off their understanding by some conscious act of denial that was beyond me” (Imago, 27). This longing for a more human way of perceiving the world reflects the tension in Jodahs hybrid identity, something that cannot understand the complex and often painful truths it is built to perceive. In this, Jodahs presents a broader image of progress, one that sacrifices the comfort of simplicity for a deeper, more interconnected understanding of life, crossing the line between survival and transformation. This line feels like a challenge to the current trajectory of AI development. I realize now that my initial excitement about AI, like my initial discomfort with the Oankali, came from a place of desire and hope for clear solutions to complex problems. But neither Butler’s trilogy nor the real-world technology we have discussed this semester offers clear solutions. Both demand a more informative, nuanced approach to hope. A hope that includes listening and accepting that not all help is possible or helpful.

Octavia Butler’s Lilith’s Brood offers a profoundly hopeful vision of transformation,
where survival depends not just on strength but on learning. Butler’s work is inspiring because it imagines a world where transformation is not a loss but a creative act that is always becoming. We see in Dawn, Lilith rises from captivity to become a leader, transforming both herself and others through acts of resilience. She shows that survival is not merely endurance but a form of rebirth, a way to transform herself into something new instead of the old. In Imago, Jodahs represents the next step in this rebirth and evolution, a being that can blend the boundaries of human and alien, becoming a recurring symbol of hope for what humanity might become if it chooses to embrace change. Jodah embodies this vision, and it reflects the awareness and ability for Jodah to confront the real understanding of life. Along with this, Adulthood Rites, Akin similarly challenges the fear of difference, recognizing that guinea survival requires not just the preservation of one’s kind but the willingness to evolve along with others. This sense of hope extends beyond the fictional world Butler creates. It speaks to our world, where rapid technological changes demand that we learn to adapt to and rethink what it means to be a human. Like the hybrid beings in her stories, we too must learn to navigate the unfamiliar, to find strength in difference, and to resist the urge to retreat into fear. In this way, Butler’s work remains
a powerful tool and an example to embrace transformation as a path to survival and more to be an interconnected world.

As I’ve learned more about AI this semester, my initial excitement has become tempered
by a growing awareness of its deeply unsettling potential. The Subprime AI Crisis draws a
troubling parallel to the 2008 financial collapse, revealing how poorly designed algorithms can create cascading failures with real human consequences. Like the Oankali in the trilogy, AI systems can lock people into paths they never chose, optimizing for corporate gain over human well-being. These systems often amplify the very biases they claim to solve, like predictive policing tools that reinforce racial disparities. Medical algorithms, too, have been shown to fail communities of color, misrepresenting their needs and leading to poorer health outcomes. As we focused deeply on the work of Dr. Joy Buolamwini, Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What Is Human in a World of Machines, I’ve uncovered the severe letdown AI has done to underrepresented communities and marginalized groups of people. She reveals the unsettling truth that AI systems often struggle to recognize and fairly represent people of color, exposing the racial biases embedded in the very data used to train them. Dr. Buolamwini describes Olay’s original facial recognition technology as “was created and designed by one demographic, which is only mostly effective on that one demographic”. This is the darker side of the metaphor I’ve been conflicted with. AI promises connection and progress, but has become a tool of domination that reinforces existing power structures while claiming to be fair and inclusive. AI has outweighed the positives with hurtful and harmful negatives that will leave everlasting effects on
future generations.

By the end of this course, I no longer see Butler and AI as two separate subjects. They
have joined together in my thinking, challenging me to reconsider what I used to think of as
“help.” I used to believe that progress meant efficiency, problem-solving, and innovation. But now I see that true progress must also involve strength, hardship, and the ability to accept “no” as an answer. Whether it’s an alien species or an artificial system, the desire to help must always be balanced by the willingness to step back, to share power, to let go of control. I feel like this is a commonly hard thing to do for humans, for Oankali, and the creators of AI. But, it might be the only way to move forward without losing our humanity. I truly don’t know exactly where I stand, and maybe that’s okay. What matters is that I’m still thinking, still wondering, and still asking who gets to decide and who gets to choose.

Octavia Butler’s Dawn exposes the unsettling experience in a post-apocalyptic world where human survival depends on alliances with an alien species, the Oankali. Butler challenges the notion of free will illustrating the complexities of power, consent, and biological manipulation in this world. Through this exploration, the book places readers through the psychological and emotional toll of being faced with ethical power dynamics and the morality of one’s controlling the future. The protagonist, Lilith, and the Onakali raise questions about the autonomy and consent that is embedded in their society and even in our society today. Through their interactions, Butler exposes the ethics on tension within relationships where there is an uneven distribution of power and boundaries. In Dawn, Octavia Butler uses the relationship between Lilith and others on the ship to explore ethical complexities of power, consent, and genetic manipulation, to prompt questions about morality when power is used to shape individuality and humanity. Through the lens of Lilith’s experiences and interactions, raises disturbances of the current state of our world and how we face real-world implications of genetic power and profound ethical issues within our leadership today.

One of the most unsettling things in Dawn is the way the Oankali use their ability to manipulate human genetics. From the beginning, it was clear that the Oankali had immense power and control over human biology. When Lilith first learns about the Oankali, she finds out they’ve been merging human and alien genes to create new kings of people and pitched it to save humanity. “‘We must do it. It renews us, enables us to survive as an evolving species instead of specializing ourselves into extinction or stagnation’” (Butler, pg.43). As time follows, we see the more distributing truth about it not just helping but their invasive control on the human race as their only solution is to “improve” humanity through genetic manipulation. The central power dynamic between Lilith and the Oankali is not only over the fate of humanity and human biology but their ability of “fixing” humans as their tool of control and Butler including the phrase, “We must do it” to reveal the moral superiority. Butler echoes this unsettling aspect of Dawn with the use of paternalism – the Onakali acting as saviors but in reality their actions are undermined by a complete disregard for individuality or autonomy of the human beings. The manipulation of genetics, in the context of power and paternalism speaks to the broader question in our society today regarding something that is technically “good for you” but is still a violation of your freedom. The Oakali blur the line between help and control, ultimately stripping individuals like Lilith of their ability to consent to their future which raises questions about the nature of power and control within human relationships today.

The true ethics of consent are deeply complex in the context of sexual relationships, where power dynamics and coercion extinct any possibility of true autonomy. Throughout the novel, Butler forces readers to confront the ethics of consent where power dynamics, survival, and manipulation cross the lines between freewill and coercion. One of the most distributing instances that I feel occurs in the book is the Lilith’s relationships with the Oankali, especially in the context of sexual relations. The Oankali are not just offering the possibility of reproduction but demanding it as a part of their plans which becomes clear that Lilith is being forced into participating. At numerous occurrences, Lilith expresses discomfort with this arrangement, but the Oankali makes it clear that her refusal isn’t an option if she wants to survive. Another instance of discomfort with sexual relations is with the character Paul in the second section of the book, “The Awakening.” The turning point in the relationship occurs when Paul sexually assaults Lilith as an act to assert control over her. It is a direct violation of Lilith’s body and autonomy. Paul fully believes that he is challenging her, and the Oankali through this assault and wanted to express a desire to “punish” her as a part of the Oankali system that he disapproves of. This act of violence is one of the most disturbing and troubling aspects of this book as it serves as a direct example of the power dynamics between them and in the book. As for what happened to Paul after this event, the Oankali approach to punish him was not one of rehabilitation rather just to reassert its order over the human group by removing him. The punishment is not violent, but rather an action to remove him temporarily from the group for a year to give him time to reflect on his actions. However, they do this to highlight the Oankali detached approach to justice, which is more focused on maintaining order instead of offering real emotional or moral accountability for Paul’s actions. “‘He had to be put to sleep— perhaps for a year or more. The long sleeps are healing to nonphysical wounds’” (Butler, pg.111). This method of punishment is extremely unsettling because it doesn’t offer Lilith or any other human any resolution. It proves the alien nature of their lack of true understanding of human emotions, trauma, and the importance of justice. The impact of his assault on Lilith remains unresolved in meaningful ways which perpetuates the overall theme of how power and control are handled and addressed in the novel.

Throughout the novel, the most disturbing concepts was Lilith’s autonomy was compromised by her at all circumstances. She is awakened by the Oankali after the Earth’s destruction and placed in a position where she must either accept their help or face uncertain repercussions. The line between consent and coercion is often crossed and although Lilith is given the opportunity to choose, the choices available were limited and influenced by the power of the Oankali that made her decision difficult to make. This is extremely evident with the Oankali’s leader, Jdahya, who uses both emotional and psychological manipulation to convince her that cooperation is the only option in this new world. The approach undermines the very concept of autonomy as they always insist that their way is the only way, subtly coercion Lilith into compliance without offering any other alternative. This manipulation raises unsettling questioning about the nature of consent and if their actions are an actual attempt to save humanity. However, as the narrative unfolds, Butler reinforces the Oankali’s power is rooted in both their superiority in technology and control over Lilith’s biology that creates an imbalance of personal agency which is often undermined. Butler forces us readers to confront these unsettling questions about autonomy, coercion, and the ethics of survival to highlight the distinctive ways in which power dynamics often violate humanity. Ultimately, Dawn offers commentary on the complexities of consent and power, reminding readers that whether it involves humans and aliens, the control over others’ bodies and lives carries profound ethical issues that go far beyond sustaining survival. 

The creation of Artificial Intelligence, mostly known as AI, has raised important  questions regarding ethical and humane practices in fast growing society. While some of its applications propose new practices and perspectives, there’s also a profound danger that comes with the potential harm that can be caused with such a tool at the tip of anyone’s fingers. Ultimately, what I find most interesting about AI is the ability for it to offer global evidence for vast issues that many people are uneducated on. I feel like one thing that can be eye opening and incredibly hopeful is developing many solutions to environmental issues and supporting global challenges. In the article, Fixing AI’s Energy Crisis explores how AI can be used to optimize energy usage and reduce carbon footprints, pushing for a more green environment. The potential for AI to help us address these issues still remains a mystery as this technology is so new. The hope lies in the ongoing development of this tool and hopefully will be placed in the power of people who won’t abuse it. As outlined in AI Snake Oil by Arvind Narayanan and Sayash Kapoor, the use of AI in healthcare and environmental sciences offers the ability to address diagnosis and offer solutions to health issues. In this aspect, this is the future where technology can take the place of people and play in the field of bringing positive change instead of negativity. This deeply aligns with the belief that AI, when used responsibly and ethically, can in fact offer solutions to long term problems and create new opportunities for everyone. However, with these possibilities, there are significant challenges seen in this article about the algorithmic scheme and how AI can reinforce discrimination that can cause unnecessary harm. 

Similarly to worldly issues, the growing use of AI in education has been a part of broader conversation regarding ethical dilemmas. I feel that if you enter any High School or even middle school they can attest to have used some form of AI. The most popular tools like ChatGPT are useful for students, but raises growing concerns and issues of academic integrity and plagiarism. Generations have been widely exposed to this new way of learning and has drawn a line between human creativity and a dependence on technology. The rise of AI in college reflects another struggle of trying to balance using the technology in a helpful way while also trying to challenge the machines to develop a new learning approach. I feel that AI has been introduced to the worst possible generation as we are a result of numerous social disparities and we can already see people in power abuse their power with this technology. The hope lies with AI being used effectively and ethically but it has to be taught first in the classrooms. How do we as a generation learn if we can have something do it for us? Like any tool, it must be carefully designed and monitored to ensure there is no harm pushed on communities. The psychological impact of technology on education I feel is not talked about enough and the immediacy of AI-generated responses often diminish students’ critical thinking skills that makes them rely too heavily on others’ ideas and not their own. AI’s capacity to support these developments is something that has been in discussion for finding solutions to deeper issues that stem from this. In exploring AI, the most inspiring things directly influenced by this capacity of people turning to AI to provide answers is guiding us to think more critically on what we put out for viewers to see. I believe AI has the power to empower individuals and communities but it’s with an understanding that many of these empowerments are not our own ideas. 

The last area I want to touch on is one I’m extremely passionate about and have actually been involved in projects regarding this topic of creating more inclusive systems. One thing I can attest to is the most encouraging aspect of AI is the ability to transform certain organizations and institutions by increasing accessibility to marginalized communities. In the article, VisualDx, a Rochester-based company, and its DermExpert Product, shows AI being used to address the issues regarding the lack of diversity in medical data. DermExpert’s use of AI counted towards a wide variety of skin tones that highlights the positive use of AI within our healthcare system. Historically speaking, medical systems have often focused on lighter skin tones, which ultimately diminished any people with darker skin tones at a disadvantage when it came to diagnosis. This ability to recognize diversity is honestly inspiring and encouraging within this significant field and makes me hopeful for our future generations. Along with the hopeful impact of AI addressing systemic inequalities, the Justice Department Sues RealPage for Algorithmic Pricing Scheme that Harms Million of American Renters, offers a deeper inside to AI’s potential to perpetuate a system of inequalities. There is harm and terror in every aspect of life but very much so in the discussion of AI. The RealPage touched on some extremely important topics of AI being misused to enforce discrimination by singling out marginalized communities. These harmful acts of AI highlight the need for establishing ethical guidelines for the use of this technology and the need for extreme regulation. On the hopeful side that I am passionate about, the increasing public awareness that these issues drive calls for even more need for regulation and legitimization. By demanding stronger frameworks and consequences AI’s potential to promote a more equitable system is then indefinite. The increasing public demand for transparency in how AI collects, stores, and even uses data pushes people to challenge these notions and pushes developers to think more critically about these issues. Despite the challenges and ethical concerns around this and AI, I remain hopeful that with enough development, regulation, and responsibility, AI can be a powerful tool for positive change, fostering new generations with equality, transparency, and progress for all.