Kommers, Cody, Ahnert, Ruth, Antoniak, Maria, Benetos, Emmanouil, Benford, Steve, Bunz, Mercedes, Caramiaux, Baptiste, Concannon, Shauna, Disley, Martin, Dobson, James, Du, Yali, Duéñez-Guzmán, Edgar, Francksen, Kerry, Gius, Evelyn, Gray, Jonathan W. Y., Heuser, Ryan, Immel, Sarah, Jean So, Richard, Leigh, Sang, Livingston, Dalaki, Long, Hoyt, Martin, Meredith, Meyer, Georgia, Mihai, Daniela, Noel-Hirst, Ashley, Ostherr, Kirsten, Parker, Deven, Qin, Yipeng  ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1551-9126, Ratcliff, Jessica, Robinson, Emily, Rodriguez, Karina, Sobey, Adam, Underwood, Ted, Vashistha, Aditya, Wilkens, Matthew, Wu, Youyou, Zheng, Yuan and Hemment, Drew
2026.
Computational hermeneutics: evaluating generative AI as a cultural technology.
Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence
9
, 1753041.
10.3389/frai.2026.1753041
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Abstract
Generative AI (GenAI) systems are increasingly recognized as cultural technologies, yet current evaluation frameworks often treat culture as a variable to be measured rather than fundamental to the system's operation. Drawing on hermeneutic theory from the humanities, we argue that GenAI systems function as "context machines" that must inherently address three interpretive challenges: situatedness (meaning only emerges in context), plurality (multiple valid interpretations coexist), and ambiguity (interpretations naturally conflict). We present computational hermeneutics as an emerging framework offering an interpretive account of what GenAI systems do, and how they might do it better. We offer three principles for hermeneutic evaluation—that benchmarks should be iterative, not one-off; include people, not just machines; and measure cultural context, not just model output. This perspective offers a nascent paradigm for designing and evaluating contemporary AI systems: shifting from standardized questions about accuracy to contextual ones about meaning.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Date Type: | Published Online |
| Status: | Published |
| Schools: | Schools > Computer Science & Informatics |
| Publisher: | Frontiers Media |
| ISSN: | 2624-8212 |
| Date of First Compliant Deposit: | 27 February 2026 |
| Date of Acceptance: | 6 February 2026 |
| Last Modified: | 27 Feb 2026 09:57 |
| URI: | https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/185326 |
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