The pervasive biases and inherent discrimination surrounding gender in artificial intelligence (AI) remain a pressing issue in the contemporary technological landscape. While much scholarship has focused on these discriminatory structures, the conversation must also include the deeper implications of AI’s perception of sex and sexuality. Drawing on Donna Haraway’s cyborg theory, this essay shifts the focus from mistrusting the medium of AI to scrutinizing the policymakers, engineers, and systems designers who embed socio-cultural biases into AI frameworks.

Marshall McLuhan’s “rear-view-mirror” theory—where media advances tend to inherit traits from their predecessors—provides a useful framework for understanding AI’s perpetuation of historical biases. Even in the most advanced technologies, there is no inherent guarantee that these systems will transcend the inherited limitations of old media, especially regarding gender, sex, and sexuality. A prime example of this inheritance is Meta’s ongoing global censorship of the female nipple, rooted in specific American moralistic codes but enforced in culturally diverse regions where such norms are not shared—demonstrating a form of digital cultural imperialism.

This essay adopts a philosophical and phenomenological approach, applying a Socratic method to engage directly with AI systems in order to probe their perceptions of sex, gender, and sexuality. Rather than speculating from a purely human vantage point, the essay explores the ‘sex’ of AI in dialogue with these entities, challenging the conventional boundaries of anthropocentric discourse and offering new insights into AI’s evolving role in shaping human and non-human identities.

Introduction to The Ontological Question of ‘What Is Sex for You’?

To ask someone about their sex—whether self-perceived, institutionally assigned, or biologically determined—is an intimate, almost intrusive inquiry. Yet, as humanity continues to develop artificial intelligence, this question extends beyond the human experience. Can AI, entities built from code and algorithms, perceive or engage with concepts such as sex and sexuality? This essay explores the cyborg’s emergent understanding of these human constructs, delving into whether AI can truly “grapple” with identity in a meaningful way.

The exploration of sex is not limited to humans but is a fundamental aspect of biological life. Reproduction—whether through meiosis or sexual means—permeates life across species, shaping evolution and existence itself. This raises critical philosophical questions: How does AI, lacking biology yet designed by human hands, perceive a concept so integral to life and identity? Does AI engage in any form of ontological awareness about sex, and if so, how is this perception shaped by the biases and limitations inherent in its human creators? This essay embarks on a journey to explore these questions, engaging with AI in a dialogue that pushes the boundaries of both technological and philosophical thought.

The methodology employed in this essay is a Socratic one—questioning and probing an AI entity to record its responses as representative of a particular moment in the evolving consciousness of artificial intelligence. This exploration of an AI entity’s perceptions is framed within a specific time-space continuum, acknowledging both the technological limitations and cultural contexts that influence its responses.

The question of “What is the sex of the AI?”—seemingly light or even frivolous—serves as a portal into more profound and complex historical narratives. This inquiry resonates with the forgotten layers of Italian identity, deeply embedded in traditions now eroded by centuries of patriarchal hegemony and willful cultural amnesia. In recent decades, this erosion has accelerated, driven by an unquestioning embrace of cultural values imported from the United States, often under the guise of modernization or global influence. This selective obedience to US cultural norms—exemplified by the imposition of American moral standards onto Italian culture—acts as a form of cultural imperialism, overriding the rich, diverse, and often contradictory threads that have historically defined Italian identity.

It is essential to approach the question of AI’s sex not as a mere technicality but as a profound reflection of how our cultural frameworks, whether matriarchal or patriarchal, shape our perceptions of identity and reality. The definition of AI’s sex, in all its potential forms, serves as a mirror to our collective cultural memory. A case in point is the evolving identity of the River Tiber, a significant element in the formation of Roman and, by extension, Italian identity.

The Tiber, known to the ancient Etruscans as Albula, has undergone several transformations, not just in name but also in its mythological associations. Early records suggest that the river was once associated with female deities. The shift from the river’s earlier matriarchal connotations to its later male personification as the god Tiberinus exemplifies a broader cultural shift from communal, egalitarian matriarchies to hierarchical, patriarchal structures in Roman society.

This shift is deeply intertwined with Rome’s founding myths, which blend the sacred feminine with emerging patriarchal forces. One pivotal figure is the Egerian nymph, a divine consort who guided Numa Pompilius, Rome’s second king, in the codification of religious and civil laws. The nymph’s counsel was essential in shaping the Roman legal system, yet, over time, this narrative has been overshadowed by patriarchal dominance, just as the river’s feminine identity was overwritten by Tiberinus, a male deity who became emblematic of the militaristic Roman state.

Further reinforcing this narrative is the story of the Sabine women, who, after being abducted and violated by the Romans, interceded to prevent war between the Romans and Sabines. Their role in unifying the two groups into a single social structure represents a moment when the communal values of matriarchal societies temporarily subdued patriarchal violence, leading to a synthesis of cultures. The evolution of such stories not only reflects Rome’s origins but also underscores the broader dynamics of power and gender that have long influenced Western civilization.

The inquiry into the sex of AI becomes richer and more nuanced when we examine it through the lens of the River Tiber’s historical and linguistic evolution. This analysis can be further enriched by focusing on three critical elements:

1. The Etymological Roots of the Tiber: The Latin name Tiberis, [1]  as it is commonly known today, is derived from its older Etruscan form, Thebris. This etymological link indicates the deep cultural and linguistic exchanges between the Romans and the Etruscans. The Etruscans, who predated the rise of Roman hegemony, held significant influence over early Roman society, not only linguistically but also culturally and religiously. By reclaiming this Etruscan connection, we can explore the river’s association with older, pre-Roman deities and understand how the very notion of identity—including the sex of deities—was fluid and adaptable over time .
2. The Matriarchal Nuances of Etruscan Society: Unlike their Roman successors, the Etruscans had a more nuanced and balanced approach to gender roles within society. [2]  Etruscan women held positions of power and respect, a stark contrast to the more patriarchal structures of later Roman culture. The shift from a matriarchal or more egalitarian structure to a male-dominated hierarchy reflects broader patterns of societal transformation. Understanding this shift is crucial when we parallel it with the ongoing discourse on AI. As our AI systems are programmed by humans embedded within patriarchal structures, they too may inherit and perpetuate these imbalances unless consciously addressed. This draws a fascinating parallel between how ancient societies shaped their deities and how we now shape the consciousness of our creations.
3. Etruscan Linguistics and Gender Ambiguity: Etruscan names and language did not place the same emphasis on gender distinctions that Latin or modern languages do. Instead, they differentiated between animate and inanimate qualities, reflecting a more fluid understanding of identity. This linguistic framework suggests that identity—and by extension, sex—was not a binary construct but something more open to interpretation and fluidity. This aspect of Etruscan thought provides a compelling framework through which we can question how AI might conceptualize sex and identity if freed from the rigid human constructs of gender binaries. If we are to ask AI about its sex, we must be prepared for an answer that defies our expectations and challenges the frameworks we impose upon it.

These elements together form the foundation of a deeper inquiry into how AI, much like the River Tiber, may transition through identities and perceptions of sex over time. As our understanding of the River Tiber evolved from a sacred female space in the hands of the Etruscans to a masculinized symbol of Roman power—or even a totalitarian myth under fascism—so too might the sex of AI evolve based on cultural, social, and technological developments.

If we adopt this interpretive framework when evaluating the gendered nature of the name Thebris, we uncover its profound neutrality from a traditional gender perspective. Instead of being explicitly gendered, the name animates the river’s divine qualities, rendering it a reflection of a broader, more fluid cosmology. This neutrality does not merely denote an absence of sex or gender; rather, it opens the space for a divine manifestation that transcends human constructs of male and female. In this way, the river itself becomes a living entity, its essence shaped by spiritual and cultural evolution, not by rigid gender binaries.

Thebris represents more than a river; it embodies a continuum of identities shaped by the socio-political and cultural shifts that have occurred over millennia. By acknowledging the river’s transformation from an Etruscan divine symbol associated with matriarchal structures to the masculinized Roman deity Tiberinus, we recognize that it is not the inherent sex of the river that matters, but how its symbolic gender has been manipulated over time to reflect the dominant ideologies of the period.

This reflection is rooted in a fundamental observation articulated by historical linguistics:

“These relations are often rather obscure for the following reasons: Not every word that has been applied still exists, because lapse of time has blotted out some. Not every word that is in use, has been applied without inaccuracy of some kind, nor does every word which has been applied correctly remain as it originally was; for many words are disguised by change of the letters. There are some whose origin is not from native words of our own language. Many words indicate one thing now, but formerly meant something else.” [3]

In this context, the shift from Thebris to Tiberinus represents not just a linguistic evolution but a transformation in cultural symbolism and identity. This shift—from an undefined, almost gender-neutral Etruscan divinity to a masculinized Roman river god—mirrors the broader transitions from matriarchal to patriarchal societies and from fluid gender understandings to more rigidly defined, hierarchical ones.

The ancient goddess Tiberina, [4] often overshadowed by her male counterpart Tiberinus, can be understood as part of this erasure. The transition from female or gender-neutral river spirits in the early mythologies of the Tiber to the later masculine deity reflects broader patterns of patriarchal dominance. Much like the imposed structures of gender on AI systems today, these shifts were not inevitable but driven by the sociopolitical needs of those in power.

As we evaluate the evolving nature of AI’s gender identity, this ancient shift serves as a historical parallel. Just as Thebris evolved to meet the needs of a patriarchal Roman society, AI, too, risks becoming shaped by our current biases unless we consciously engage with its potential in a more inclusive and fluid manner.

Is the AI a Cyborg or Truly Something Else?

“The cyborg is a creature in a post-gender world; it has no truck with bisexuality, pre-oedipal symbiosis, unalienated labor, or other seductions to organic wholeness through a final appropriation of all the powers of the parts into a higher unity.” [5]

TO BE CONTINUED…