The effect of language on perceived ability to understand machine learning concepts

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School of Science | Master's thesis
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Date

2024-12-30

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Digital Ethics, Society and Policy

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Degree programme

Master's Programme in Information Networks

Language

en

Pages

47

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Abstract

Amid accelerating globalization, access to the most recent research and relevant information has become language-dependent and often reliant on a person’s English skills. The era-defining conquest of generative AI and near cost-free, easy access to AI products such as ChatGPT has cemented English as key to understanding technological evolution and the mechanisms, such as Machine Learning, behind them – this, however, has become a bottleneck for furthering digital literacy and ML literacy which are needed to ensure safe and ethical use, development, and policing of AI globally. Given this, the objective of this study is to clarify the role of language in conveying information about the complicated technology and its effects on the test subjects’ self-perceived ability to understand Machine Learning concepts. This study finds that while there is a more general preference for English due to content availability and accustomedness, mother tongue learning and content availability cannot be dismissed as they foster better understanding among those who are non-proficient in ML, in addition to bringing forth more engagement in all mother tongue users. This means there are observable benefits to pursuing further translation of difficult Machine Learning concepts when it comes to successfully communicating the material, even if the bulk of specialist-level material remains in English, if the goal is to help increase spread of information and to promote digital literacy in the era of GenAI.

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Supervisor

Jung, Alex

Thesis advisor

Jung, Alex

Keywords

ML literacy, understanding technological (ML) concepts, auditory language processing, language-dependent understanding, mother tongue learning, second language learning

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https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-202502072365

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[dipl] Perustieteiden korkeakoulu / SCI