AI Across Cultures: Co-Designing Equitable and Culturally Grounded Futures

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Human–Computer Interaction (HCI) are often framed as universal; yet, their foundations are shaped by the data, infrastructures, and policies of high-resource contexts. This leaves low-resource languages and culturally diverse communities underrepresented, amplifying inequities in access, adoption, and governance. This CHI 2026 workshop, AI Across Cultures: Co-Designing Equitable and Culturally Grounded Futures, brings together HCI researchers, AI/NLP practitioners, policymakers, and community leaders to reimagine AI as a sociotechnical system co-created with and for diverse contexts. We focus on aligning design methodologies, policy frameworks, and cultural philosophies to foster pluralistic, equitable, and sustainable AI ecosystems. Through case studies, participatory activities, and cross-border dialogue, the workshop will surface practices, challenges, and frameworks that integrate cultural identity, linguistic diversity, and community priorities into AI. The outcomes will include collaborative mappings, actionable guidelines, and a synthesis paper to guide future culturally grounded HCI and AI research.