From bytes to bias: Investigating the ethical implications of AI’s cultural misrepresentation in tourism

Kerék András (2025) From bytes to bias: Investigating the ethical implications of AI’s cultural misrepresentation in tourism. Kereskedelmi, Vendéglátóipari és Idegenforgalmi Kar.

	PDF BBS-Kerék-András-Thesis.pdf Hozzáférés joga: Csak nyilvántartásba vett egyetemi IP címekről nyitható meg Download (4MB)
	PDF Thesis Assessment Kerék András 2025.pdf Hozzáférés joga: Bizalmas dokumentum (bírálat) Download (184kB)
	PDF New Template_Thesis Assessment_Kerék András_2025.pdf Hozzáférés joga: Bizalmas dokumentum (bírálat) Download (144kB)
	PDF Kerék.pdf Hozzáférés joga: Bizalmas dokumentum (bírálat) Download (161kB)

Absztrakt (kivonat)

This thesis explores the ethical and cultural implications of artificial intelligence in tourism. The research is focusing on how AI-generated content shapes the representation of destinations, tourist expectations, and industry practices. This research uses a mixed-methods approach, combining an experimental content analysis from generative AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, DALL·E, MidJourney), three interviews with Hungarian tourism professionals, and a public survey of 111 respondents. The study evaluates AI-generated descriptions and images for five countries (Hungary, Japan, Mexico, Kenya, and India) based on categories like cultural authenticity, avoidance of stereotypes, and narrative depth. The results reveal a tendency toward overly aesthetic and reductive portrayals, mainly caused by data biases and engagement optimization. The interviews highlighted both the operational benefits and ethical challenges of AI, particularly in misrepresentation, trust, and implementation. The survey results further support concerns around misleading content, algorithmic fairness, and the public’s limited trust in AI-generated tourism media. The thesis concludes that implementing human-in-the-loop design strategies, diversifying training datasets, and establishing more robust policy frameworks are essential tools for mitigating cultural distortions and promoting ethical AI adoption in tourism. This study emphasizes that while AI offers real opportunities for efficiency and personalization, its cultural influence must be critically examined to ensure that it supports rather than undermines meaningful and diverse experiences.

Intézmény

Budapesti Gazdasági Egyetem

Kar

Kereskedelmi, Vendéglátóipari és Idegenforgalmi Kar

Tanszék

Turizmus Tanszék

Tudományterület/tudományág

NEM RÉSZLETEZETT

Szak

Turizmus-vendéglátás

Mű típusa:	diplomadolgozat (NEM RÉSZLETEZETT)
Kulcsszavak:	artificial intelligence, culture, ethics, representation, tourism
SWORD Depositor:	User Archive
Felhasználói azonosító szám (ID):	User Archive
Rekord készítés dátuma:	2026. Ápr. 09. 15:03
Utolsó módosítás:	2026. Ápr. 09. 15:03

Actions (login required)

Tétel nézet