Introduction

AI-generated hate material is increasingly circulating online, raising urgent concerns. This chapter introduces the concept of “generative hate” to describe how text-to-image models not only reproduce existing stereotypes but also unlock new forms of participatory, ideologically charged hate. We set out the key questions we’ll pursue throughout the book and gesture to the methodological interventions (analysis of models, survey of hateful material across platforms, automated sorting of images) we’ll use to explore it. We also stress the stakes of generative hate—damaging individuals, polarizing communities, and weakening social cohesion—and indicate how it places new pressures on content moderation.