Artificial intelligence (AI) can be both an opportunity and a threat but it can never duplicate social media users and become self-aware, a forum was told.
Academics and philosophers around the world recently gathered at Thammasat University's Tha Prachan campus for the third Asian Network for Philosophy of Social Science (Anposs) conference.
The bi-annual conference opens the floor to students and professionals in philosophy and social science to discuss their research and expand their knowledge amid a fast-evolving social setting.
The conference was led by Prof Daniel Little of the University of Michigan-Dearborn. His approach to ontological individualism suggests a mutual influence between society and individuals.
He said women in Iran are influencing Iranian society in their protest against the wearing of the hijab. As they gain supporters, they prove how individuals can cause a change in society through self-presentation, he said.
Influence is not limited to a specific form, though the implication varies depending on cultural context, experience and structural change, he said.
Phanomkorn Yothasorn, Thammasat University's director of the Bachelor of Arts Programme in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, told the forum that self-awareness is fundamental to one's existence, and social media users and their online profiles should be viewed separately.
She said Facebook encourages netizens to use their given name and connect with friends for a more realistic online experience.
Users sign up for an account and craft their profile content, she said. Like a hollow bamboo ball, the outer layer is the online profile while the real human experience is hollow, she said.
When asked about whether fabricating online profiles can affect one's self, Prof Phanomkorn said her definition of experience differs from the usual explanation.
"It is about being aware of ourselves," she said. "It doesn't matter if you take content from others."
There can be several representations of a person online but there can be only be one with the "actual experience", she said, meaning the focus should be directed at the true identity of the user, and social media users are judged by the frequency of interactions and expressions.
"But in the end, as an individual, both online and offline, you are the same," she said. "The self can be expanded, but you will not be less without it."
The conference also touched on the possibility of AI becoming self-aware or "conscious", and ultimately replace humans at work. "For some, consciousness means you know that you exist," said Yukti Mukdawijita, another professor from Thammasat University. "If not, then it might pose as a human extension instead of its own existence."
Meanwhile, Peng Bi Qi, a PhD candidate from Nankai University, said the evolving relationship between humans and AI has prompted us to examine the boundaries of selfhood and how our identities are intertwined with our work and purpose.
The current human-designed system falls short of incorporating vital elements that characterise selfhood, including subjective consciousness, self-reflection and subjective feelings. She said AI facial recognition technology is used widely in various domains, but it cannot recognise a human's rich, subjective experience.
"While the AI algorithms can identify faces and match them to data, they do not have an understanding of the individual's experience, emotions or narrative associated with their face," she said.
