معرفی
Pip Thornton is a Chancellor's Fellow at the University of Edinburgh's School of Geosciences, holding a prestigious early-career academic position equivalent to Assistant Professor. Thornton's work bridges geography, linguistics, and digital studies with a specific focus on the political economy of language in digital spaces. Their research examines how technology companies transform human language into extractable economic data through what Thornton terms 'linguistic capitalism.'
Thornton's research interests center on the exploitation and monetization of language by digital technology companies, with particular emphasis on how the transformation of language into data negates its creative and poetic value. Key areas include critical AI studies, online disinformation, digital geopolitics, and creative interventions as research methodology. Thornton investigates how platforms like Google, Meta, and AI companies extract economic value from human language, resulting in what they describe as 'linguistic detritus' that fills search results and AI outputs.
Thornton's recent publications (2023-2024) show a strong focus on creative responses to AI and linguistic capitalism, with multiple exhibitions, performances, and critical interventions. Their work demonstrates consistent engagement with both theoretical critique and tangible artistic responses to digital technology's impact on language and communication.
- Virginie Mamadouh Outstanding Research Award, AAG (2021)
- 'Best Paper' at ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (2022)
Thornton maintains active research funding through multiple projects including 'Page Against The Machine: a comedy-drama about AI' (University of London), 'Writing the Wrongs of AI' (Arts & Humanities Research Council), and several projects examining creative interventions in digital technology. Their research approach combines academic scholarship with public-facing artistic work, regularly participating in major cultural festivals including the Edinburgh International Book Festival and Wigtown Book Festival. Thornton is currently accepting PhD students interested in linguistic capitalism, digital humanities, and critical AI studies.
Thornton leads the Articulating Data Research Group, which explores vocalisation, machine listening, and the (in)security of language through creative and critical approaches. This work combines technical understanding of AI systems with artistic interventions to examine how language is processed, commodified, and transformed in digital environments.
