Reading, Meaning, and Machines: Ethical Questions of AI in Poetry Education

  • Unique Paper ID: 191052
  • Volume: 12
  • Issue: no
  • PageNo: 716-720
  • Abstract:
  • The increasing use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in literature classrooms has changed how students read and analyse poetry. While AI tools can summarise poems and identify themes or stylistic features, this paper argues that they cannot truly interpret poetry, especially metaphysical poetry. The meaning of metaphysical poems often emerges through ambiguity, philosophical reasoning, religious ideas, and historical context, which AI systems cannot fully understand. By focusing on metaphysical poetry, the paper shows that interpretation requires awareness of literary theory, cultural background, and ethical sensitivity—capacities that AI does not possess. Elements such as complex conceits, paradoxes, and theological debates in metaphysical poetry resist simple explanation and cannot be reduced to patterns or formulas. AI-generated readings often simplify these features or present fixed meanings, overlooking the layered and argumentative nature of the poems. In such cases, AI relies on patterns drawn from existing interpretations and frequently repeats dominant readings without critical reflection or interpretive responsibility. The paper concludes by suggesting that AI should be used carefully and ethically in the study of metaphysical poetry, as a supportive learning aid rather than an authoritative interpreter, in order to preserve close reading, critical thinking, and students’ interpretive agency.

Copyright & License

Copyright © 2026 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

BibTeX

@article{191052,
        author = {Dr. Yesha Bhatt},
        title = {Reading, Meaning, and Machines: Ethical Questions of AI in Poetry Education},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {},
        volume = {12},
        number = {no},
        pages = {716-720},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=191052},
        abstract = {The increasing use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in literature classrooms has changed how students read and analyse poetry. While AI tools can summarise poems and identify themes or stylistic features, this paper argues that they cannot truly interpret poetry, especially metaphysical poetry. The meaning of metaphysical poems often emerges through ambiguity, philosophical reasoning, religious ideas, and historical context, which AI systems cannot fully understand. By focusing on metaphysical poetry, the paper shows that interpretation requires awareness of literary theory, cultural background, and ethical sensitivity—capacities that AI does not possess. Elements such as complex conceits, paradoxes, and theological debates in metaphysical poetry resist simple explanation and cannot be reduced to patterns or formulas. AI-generated readings often simplify these features or present fixed meanings, overlooking the layered and argumentative nature of the poems. In such cases, AI relies on patterns drawn from existing interpretations and frequently repeats dominant readings without critical reflection or interpretive responsibility. The paper concludes by suggesting that AI should be used carefully and ethically in the study of metaphysical poetry, as a supportive learning aid rather than an authoritative interpreter, in order to preserve close reading, critical thinking, and students’ interpretive agency.},
        keywords = {Artificial Intelligence, Poetry Interpretation, Metaphysical Poetry, Ethics, generative AI},
        month = {},
        }

Cite This Article

  • ISSN: 2349-6002
  • Volume: 12
  • Issue: no
  • PageNo: 716-720

Reading, Meaning, and Machines: Ethical Questions of AI in Poetry Education

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