AI’s mastery of other languages ​​hides a Western worldview that can mislead users – explains a scholar of Indonesian society

A friend in Indonesia recently told me about a conversation he had with ChatGPT. He had typed a question in Indonesian – Bahasa Indonesia – about dealing with a difficult family dispute. The chatbot responded fluently and in perfect Indonesian with advice on communication strategies and conflict resolution. The grammar was impeccable. The tone was appropriate. And yet something felt strange.

What the AI ​​offered was advice based on American cultural assumptions: prioritize your own preferences, communicate directly, and if family members don’t respect your boundaries, consider cutting them off.

The answer was in Indonesian, but informed by values ​​that emphasized individual autonomy over consensus building, social harmony and collective family dynamics, which tend to play a larger role in Indonesian social life.

My friend was skeptical enough to notice the mismatch and mention it to me. For many users this may not be the case. That was the trigger for my research, which was published in International Review…