A lecture organised as part of the educational programme, open to the public. Anne Alombert is a qualified philosophy teacher and a senior lecturer in contemporary philosophy at the University of Paris 8. How is the rapid development of artificial intelligence transforming our ability to think and to form society?
To answer this question, we shall look back at the history of alphabetic writing and industrial automation, in order to understand the implications of computer-based writing and digital automation. In the context of ‘generative artificial intelligence’ – which some transhumanists now describe as ‘digital minds’ – we must, conversely, ask how digital technologies affect our minds, which remain both individual and collective.
How are automatic text generators transforming our capacities for thought and expression? What are the effects of ‘virtual companions’ on our emotional lives and social relationships? What are the hidden risks behind the computation of language and the automation of otherness?
We will reflect on the philosophical implications of these questions, whilst exploring ways to ‘embrace’ the ongoing industrial acceleration, in the realms of politics, education, the economy and innovation.