In this article, we introduce the term “conjuration of algorithms” to describe how the tech industry uses the language of magic to shape people’s perceptions of algorithms. We use the image of the magician as a metaphor for how the tech industry strategically deploys narrative devices to present their algorithms. After presenting a brief history of the Western European and North American understanding of stage magic, we apply three principles of magic to a recent case: OpenAI’s discussion of ChatGPT to show how tech leaders present algorithms as magical entities. We argue that the conjuration of algorithms allows the tech industry to forge vivid, overly positive, and deterministic narratives that make it challenging for their critics to call attention to the very real harms that algorithmic systems pose to users. We call for discourses of reality instead of magic, as a way to support responsible technology design, development, use, and governance.

中文翻译：

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魔术算法：将科技行业理解为舞台魔术师


在本文中，我们引入“算法的召唤”一词来描述科技行业如何使用魔法语言来塑造人们对算法的看法。我们用魔术师的形象来比喻科技行业如何战略性地部署叙事设备来展示他们的算法。在介绍了西欧和北美对舞台魔术的理解的简史之后，我们将魔术的三个原理应用于最近的案例：OpenAI 对 ChatGPT 的讨论，以展示技术领导者如何将算法呈现为魔术实体。我们认为，算法的结合使科技行业能够打造生动、过于积极和确定性的叙述，这使得批评者很难引起人们对算法系统对用户造成的真正伤害的关注。我们呼吁谈论现实而不是魔法，以此作为支持负责任的技术设计、开发、使用和治理的方式。