Facing Identity: The Formation and Performance of Identity via Face-Based Artificial Intelligence Technologies

Abstract: How is identity constructed and performed in the digital via face-based artificial intelligence technologies? While questions of identity on the textual Internet have been thoroughly explored, the Internet has progressed to a multimedia form that not only centers the visual, but specifically the face. At the same time, a wealth of scholarship has and continues to center the topics of surveillance and control through facial recognition technologies (FRTs), which have extended the logics of the racist pseudoscience of physiognomy. Much less work has been devoted to understanding how such face-based artificial intelligence technologies have influenced the formation and performance of identity. This literature review considers how such technologies interact with faciality, which entails the construction of what a face may represent or signify, along axes of identity such as race, gender, and sexuality. In grappling with recent advances in AI such as image generation and deepfakes, I propose that we are now in an era of "post-facial" technologies that build off our existing culture of facility while eschewing the analog face, complicating our relationship with identity vis-a-vis the face. Drawing from previous frameworks of identity play in the digital, as well as trans practices that have historically played with or transgressed the boundaries of identity classification, we can develop concepts adequate for analyzing digital faciality and identity given the current landscape of post-facial artificial intelligence technologies that allow users to interface with the digital in an entirely novel manner. To ground this framework of transgression, I conclude by proposing an interview study with VTubers -- online streamers who perform using motion-captured avatars instead of their real-life faces -- to gain qualitative insight on how these sociotechnical experiences.

• The paper introduces post-facial technologies, arguing that traditional facial recognition reinforces biased identity perceptions.
• The paper employs a comprehensive literature review to reveal how digital faciality enables novel identity performances via VTubers, deepfakes, and more.
• The paper highlights the need for interdisciplinary strategies to address the complex sociocultural and ethical implications of face-based AI.

Digital Identity and Face-Based AI Technologies: An Analysis

The paper “Facing Identity: The Formation and Performance of Identity via Face-Based Artificial Intelligence Technologies” by Wells Lucas Santo offers a comprehensive literature review on the influence of face-based AI technologies on identity construction and performance. This work explores the sociotechnical and cultural dimensions of digital faciality in the context of advanced AI technologies such as facial recognition, deepfakes, and VTubers.

Overview and Core Arguments

The author raises critical questions on how identity is both constructed and performed digitally through AI technologies that leverage the human face. Santo critiques traditional approaches of FRTs, which have relied heavily on physiognomy to infer race, gender, and sexuality, often leading to biases and reinforcing stereotypes.

The paper argues for a shift towards understanding and critiquing these technologies beyond the common narrative of bias and fairness, proposing that they have fundamentally reshaped digital faciality culture. Santo introduces the concept of “post-facial” technologies, which, while leveraging facial data, allow for identity performances that may eschew the analog face altogether.

Notable Contributions

One of the paper’s significant contributions is its exploration of the gap in literature regarding how generative AI and post-facial technologies alter the sociocultural landscape of identity. It critiques common perspectives that address AI biases through increased representation and diversity in datasets, highlighting the limitations of this approach in truly understanding AI’s impact on identity perceptions.

The proposed study of VTubers, individuals who use digital avatars for online streaming, exemplifies the potential for these technologies to allow users to explore and perform identities in ways previously not possible, challenging norms and breaking barriers rooted in physiological assumptions.

Implications and Future Directions

Practically, the implications of this research extend to the development and deployment of AI systems. A considerate reflection on how these technologies can impact identity formation and performance, particularly for marginalized communities, is essential. The author suggests that nuanced and interdisciplinary strategies are required to address the complexities involved.

Theoretically, Santo’s work contributes to the ongoing discourse on digital identity, proposing the need for new conceptual frameworks that better capture the realities of post-facial technologies. This could open up more inclusive avenues for the analysis of identity and AI technologies.

Looking forward, future research could investigate the broader spectrum of applications of post-facial technologies beyond streaming, such as in creative industries or personal identity exploration. Understanding the influence of AI-driven identities in shaping societal perceptions and individual experiences is critical as these technologies become more prevalent.

In conclusion, this paper is an essential contribution to understanding the intersection of identity and AI. It challenges existing paradigms and calls for a reevaluation of how face-based AI technologies are conceptualized and analyzed within both academic and industrial contexts.