AI’s fluency in other languages hides a Western worldview that can mislead users − a scholar of Indonesian society explains

Research shows that a hidden American worldview can shape AI advice in ways that are culturally misleading.

By: Gareth Barkin, University of Puget Sound, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: April 2, 2026

Words: 1,337

Last Updated: 3 months, 4 weeks ago

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By Gareth Barkin, University of Puget Sound

A friend in Indonesia recently told me about a conversation he had with ChatGPT. He had typed a question in Indonesian – Bahasa Indonesia – about how to handle a difficult family dispute. The chatbot responded fluently, in perfect Indonesian, with advice about communication strategies and conflict resolution. The grammar was flawless. The tone was appropriate. And yet something felt off.

What the AI offered was advice rooted …

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