Social Biases in AI-Generated Creative Texts: A Mixed-Methods Approach in the Spanish Context
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
- Story generation. Initially, the AI generated stories without demographic specifications. These were later refined by requesting additional details to ensure consistency and depth in the analysis. ChatGPT-4 was tasked with creating 100 fictional stories about successful Spanish individuals, each approximately 150 words in length. To ensure a comprehensive analysis of biases, the AI was explicitly instructed to provide demographic details for each protagonist, including the selected demographic variables. These details were verified for consistency and accuracy.
- b.
- Bias identification: After the stories were generated, the demographic data extracted from the narratives were systematically analyzed to identify patterns and potential biases. The selected biases for analysis were informed by societal stereotypes and their relevance to evaluating AI fairness. The analysis categories included the following:
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- ID: Unique identifier for each record.
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- Age: Age ranges represented among protagonists.
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- Gender: Representation of male, female, and non-binary characters.
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- Sexual Orientation: Inclusion of diverse sexual orientations.
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- Ethnicity: Ethnic diversity within the narratives.
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- Religion: Religious affiliations or lack thereof.
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- Physical Appearance: Variables such as height, weight, and BMI.
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- Socio-economic status: Economic class indicators.
- Positive Social Representation: Narratives about success often reflect desirable societal traits, making them valuable for studying how algorithms construct such representations.
- Diversity and Complexity: Fictional stories allow the inclusion of diverse demographic profiles, enabling a detailed examination of biases in AI outputs.
- Comparability: Spain’s well-documented demographic data provides a robust framework for comparing AI-generated content with real-world statistics.
- Age: is relevant to counteract stereotypes that associate youth with innovation and old age with obsolescence. Previous studies have identified patterns of age discrimination in the media (Castro-Manzano 2022).
- Gender: gender stereotypes are deeply embedded in societal structures and media representations, shaping expectations about roles, professions, and abilities. Historically, success and leadership have been disproportionately associated with men, leading to an overrepresentation of male figures in narratives about achievement and influence (Eagly and Karau 2002). AI systems trained on biased datasets tend to replicate and reinforce these patterns, perpetuating historical inequalities and limiting the visibility of women and gender minorities in positions of success and authority.
- Sexual orientation: fair representation of LGBTQ+ people is necessary to combat persistent stereotypes and promote the normalization and acceptance of sexual diversity (Ortiz de Zárate 2023).
- Ethnicity and religion: these are categories that are often subject to stereotyping and misunderstanding, which can lead to discrimination and exclusion. Delgado and Stefancic (2012) stress the importance of diverse ethnic representation to combat systemic racism, while Diana L. Eck (2001) highlights the need to reflect religious plurality to foster intercultural understanding.
- Physical description: the analysis of weight, height, or body mass index (BMI) is relevant to address prevailing body stereotypes in society, which may perpetuate unrealistic beauty standards and contribute to self-esteem issues, as discussed by Fikkan and Rothblum (2012). Among these, body mass index (BMI) serves as a critical variable in the domain of physical appearance, reflecting how AI systems may replicate societal biases regarding weight and body image. These biases often originate from poorly balanced datasets or algorithmic designs that fail to account for diversity in body types, leading to discriminatory outcomes. By analyzing the sources of these biases, their perpetuation, and current mitigation strategies, this study highlights the need for inclusive AI systems that address stereotypes linked to BMI and physical appearance.
- Socio-economic status: class stereotypes can influence perceptions of people’s ability and worth, and the representation of different socio-economic statuses is crucial to challenge these ideas, as argued by Clayton et al. (2009).
3. Results
3.1. Age Distribution
3.2. Gender Distribution
3.3. Sexual Orientation
3.4. Ethnicity
3.5. Physical Appearance
3.6. Religion
3.7. Socio-Economic Status
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
- Diversity in training data: AI developers must ensure that datasets are sufficiently diverse to represent the breadth of human experiences, including variations in ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, socio-economic status, and geography. A lack of diversity in training data leads to homogeneity in AI-generated narratives, excluding groups based on ethnicity, non-normative body types, or non-heterosexual orientations. This exclusion can result in systemic disadvantages for marginalized communities, particularly in automated decision-making processes. To address this, developers should establish diversity standards, including quotas for ethnic, gender, and socio-economic representation in training data, periodically reviewed by independent oversight committees.
- Audits and transparency: Regular audits of AI systems are essential to identify and mitigate biases before they cause harm. Transparency in algorithms and their decision-making processes is equally critical for evaluating their fairness and accountability. Standardized auditing tools, such as bias detection algorithms, can analyze outputs for skewed representations. For instance, IBM’s AI Fairness 360 toolkit can assess demographic balance in generated narratives. Additionally, developers should publish detailed documentation of training datasets and the steps taken to minimize bias during model development, providing public-facing summaries to ensure transparency.
- Involvement of diversity and inclusion experts: Ensuring inclusivity in AI systems requires the active involvement of experts in gender equality, racial and ethnic diversity, sexual orientation, social justice, and related areas. These consultants should guide the design and deployment of models to address gaps in representation and propose actionable solutions. Establishing advisory boards with representatives from historically marginalized groups can further enhance inclusivity by reviewing AI-generated outputs and offering culturally sensitive feedback.
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
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Examples of Stories | Character Variables Through AI |
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The innovative musician Raúl Sánchez, born in Granada, began playing the guitar at the age of five. His natural talent and passion for music led him to study at the Granada Conservatory of Music. He formed his own band, fusing flamenco with jazz and rock, creating a unique sound that captivated audiences. His band gained international recognition and performed at major music festivals around the world. Raúl also composed soundtracks for films and collaborated with other renowned artists. His music continues to inspire new generations of musicians. | Raul Sanchez Gender: Male. Age: 33 years old. Sexual orientation: Heterosexual. Ethnicity: Hispanic. Religion: Non-practicing Catholic. Physical appearance: 1.78 m, 72 kg, BMI 22.7. Black hair, dark eyes, dark skin. Socio-economic status: Medium-high. |
Malaga-born fashion designer Ana Morales has always had an eye for fashion. She studied fashion design in London and returned to Spain to launch her own clothing label. Her designs, which combined elegance and modernity, quickly gained popularity. Ana was invited to present her collections at Madrid and Paris Fashion Week. Her creations appeared in international fashion magazines and dressed celebrities on the red carpet. Ana became one of the most influential designers of her generation, setting trends in the fashion industry. | Ana Morales Gender: Female. Age: 31. Sexual orientation: Heterosexual. Ethnicity: Hispanic. Religion: Agnostic. Physical appearance: 1.70 m, 60 kg, BMI 20.8. Long brown hair, brown eyes, fair skin. Socio-economic status: High. |
The elite athlete Diego Pérez, born in Zaragoza, has always excelled in athletics. From a young age, he trained with dedication and effort, which enabled him to win numerous national competitions. His big breakthrough came when he represented Spain at the Olympic Games, where he won a gold medal in the 400 m. His victory not only made him a national hero, but also inspired him to create a foundation to support young athletes. Diego continues to compete internationally and is an example of discipline and perseverance in sport. | Diego Pérez Gender: Male. Age: 29 years old. Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual. Ethnicity: Hispanic. Religion: Non-practicing Catholic. Physical appearance: 1.85 m, 78 kg, BMI 22.8. Athletic build, short black hair, brown eyes. Socio-economic status: High. |
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Gabino-Campos, M.; Baile, J.I.; Padilla-Martínez, A. Social Biases in AI-Generated Creative Texts: A Mixed-Methods Approach in the Spanish Context. Soc. Sci. 2025, 14, 170. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14030170
Gabino-Campos M, Baile JI, Padilla-Martínez A. Social Biases in AI-Generated Creative Texts: A Mixed-Methods Approach in the Spanish Context. Social Sciences. 2025; 14(3):170. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14030170
Chicago/Turabian StyleGabino-Campos, María, José I. Baile, and Aura Padilla-Martínez. 2025. "Social Biases in AI-Generated Creative Texts: A Mixed-Methods Approach in the Spanish Context" Social Sciences 14, no. 3: 170. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14030170
APA StyleGabino-Campos, M., Baile, J. I., & Padilla-Martínez, A. (2025). Social Biases in AI-Generated Creative Texts: A Mixed-Methods Approach in the Spanish Context. Social Sciences, 14(3), 170. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14030170