Paper Number
1370
Paper Type
Short Paper
Abstract
The article argues that the current discourse around Artificial Intelligence (AI) suggests and stems from the fetishization of the technology, wherein exaggerated powers and abilities are projected onto the technology, without these however being inherent to it and nor because of its nature. This discourse, that spans often contrasting but typically polarized viewpoints, does not facilitate a future conducive to human flourishing, because they either oversimplify or exaggerate AI’s benefits and risks, by assigning a fixed meaning to the technology based on individual stances and agendas. Based on a Lacanian perspective, this paper presents an integrative framework that can be useful for discerning between idealization and condemnation and placing such perspectives within a broader context. It is expected that this framework can facilitate moving away from simplistic characterisations of AI that hinder its comprehensive evaluation in terms of possibilities and implications for society.
Recommended Citation
Zamani, Efpraxia, "A Lacanian Approach to Artificial Intelligence" (2024). ECIS 2024 Proceedings. 8.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2024/track03_ai/track03_ai/8
A Lacanian Approach to Artificial Intelligence
The article argues that the current discourse around Artificial Intelligence (AI) suggests and stems from the fetishization of the technology, wherein exaggerated powers and abilities are projected onto the technology, without these however being inherent to it and nor because of its nature. This discourse, that spans often contrasting but typically polarized viewpoints, does not facilitate a future conducive to human flourishing, because they either oversimplify or exaggerate AI’s benefits and risks, by assigning a fixed meaning to the technology based on individual stances and agendas. Based on a Lacanian perspective, this paper presents an integrative framework that can be useful for discerning between idealization and condemnation and placing such perspectives within a broader context. It is expected that this framework can facilitate moving away from simplistic characterisations of AI that hinder its comprehensive evaluation in terms of possibilities and implications for society.
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