Visualising an undergraduate geography field class using generative AI: Intent, expectations and surprises about the racial depiction of students

Abstract

This commentary reflects on an attempt to use ChatGPT to generate an image for a geography textbook. We explore why the image that was produced provoked surprise and intrigue and think through how our reactions revealed ingrained assumptions about educational spaces. Our discussion highlights the importance of intentionality in prompt design and offers a reminder of how seemingly neutral prompts can reproduce dominant narratives. We conclude by proposing that as generative AI becomes more prevalent in geography education, this take-up needs to critically engage with the ethical and societal implications of AI use so we can actively challenge ourselves as well as the technology.