What is AI Whitewashing?

AI whitewashing is a form of algorithmic bias where artificial intelligence systems systematically erase, misrepresent, or subordinate non-white and non-Western perspectives. This phenomenon arises when AI is trained on data that is overwhelmingly dominated by white, Eurocentric, and English-language sources. As a result, these models often fail to accurately understand or generate content related to diverse cultures, misinterpreting or ignoring unique traditions, social norms, and historical contexts. In language, this bias manifests by marginalizing dialects and non-English languages, ultimately perpetuating a digital world that reflects a narrow, homogenized, and predominantly Western viewpoint, effectively erasing the richness of global human experience.