Constraining Participation: Affordances of Feedback Features in Interfaces to Large Language Models

Large language models (LLMs) are now accessible to anyone with a computer, a web browser, and an internet connection via browser-based interfaces, shifting the dynamics of participation in AI development. This paper examines the affordances of interactive feedback features in ChatGPT's interface, analysing how they shape user input and participation in LLM iteration. Drawing on a survey of ChatGPT users and applying the mechanisms and conditions framework of affordances, we demonstrate that these features encourage simple, frequent, and performance-focused feedback while discouraging collective input and discussions among users. We argue that this feedback format significantly constrains user participation, reinforcing power imbalances between users, the public, and companies developing LLMs. Our analysis contributes to the growing body of literature on participatory AI by critically examining the limitations of existing feedback processes and proposing directions for their redesign. To enable more meaningful public participation in AI development, we advocate for a shift away from processes focused on aligning model outputs with specific user preferences. Instead, we emphasise the need for processes that facilitate dialogue between companies and diverse 'publics' about the purpose and applications of LLMs. This approach requires attention to the ongoing work of infrastructuring - creating and sustaining the social, technical, and institutional structures necessary to address matters of concern to groups impacted by AI development and deployment.