ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AND THE FUTURE OF AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT, 2025

DIGITAL HUMANITIES, AI AS A TOOL IN LITERARY ANALYSIS AND CRITICISM: PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES

Ifunanya Laurencia Ebekue, Ph.D Ngozi Dora Ulogu, Ph.D Nkechi Christiana Okoli
Abstract

In this era of a complex relationship and intersection of communication between human and non-human elements, digital humanities, an interdisciplinary field in humanities research combines with digital technologies to bring together a broad range of activities using non-human elements, such as Artificial Intelligence. Artificial Intelligence refers to as AI, also known as machine learning, consists of a network of computer systems that work in a manner close to human intelligence. AI increases efficiency, accuracy, and speed in digital humanities interdisciplinary research. It has found an inroad into the literary sphere. However, as a new alliance to the human brain, AI is fraught with challenges, coming with bias, and questioning authenticity. In the literary arena, AI, plays a role in text analysis and criticism, language translation, cultural studies, and provides a wealth of literature in these areas, but still leaves out gaps to be filled. Using the framework of Bruno Latour and Michael Callon's Actor-Network Theory, that examines the relationships between human and non-human actors in complex systems, this paper makes a qualitative analysis of the prospects of the application of AI in textual Analysis and Criticism. It also examines the ethical rightness and challenges of bias and authenticity in literary and language studies. The paper proposes a balance between the application of AI and human analysis that enables literary scholars to leverage the strengths of AI for deeper insight into humanities research.

Keywords: analysis, challenges, criticism, digital, humanities, literary, prospects, tool
Copyright © 2026 ACJOL.