Identity Destruction Credit: bluesharkmedia
Introduction
Our lives have become deeply entwined with AI through the data we generate and share. Social media platforms, smart devices and online services constantly collect data regarding our behaviour and preferences. AI algorithms use this data to customize content and make recommendations. As a result, our online identities, shaped by algorithms, can sometimes feel disconnected from our authentic selves. This has raised concerns about privacy and the accuracy of our digital personas, which may not fully represent who we are. AI algorithms tend to reinforce existing beliefs and preferences, creating echo chambers that isolate individuals within their own ideological bubbles. This phenomenon can isolate one’s identity, making it more resistant to external perspectives and diverse viewpoints. As a result, AI’s impact on identity can lead to polarization and a less open-minded society.
The War for AI Talent
The demand for AI talent has been fuelled by the rapid pace of technological advancements and the insatiable appetite for cutting-edge solutions. Silicon Valley tech giants are engaged in an intense battle of talent hunting offering million-dollar compensation packages. At the same time, they fire individuals who no longer meet the high-level profiles of the best AI performers. The stakes are high, as companies that fail to secure the best AI talents risk falling behind in the race for innovation. As a result, they are engaged in a fierce competition for top AI talent to take on key roles in AI development, risk modelling, data engineering, software development and responsible AI deployment. To attract and retain these individuals, companies must understand the unique desires and preferences of these very much sought-after professionals. They typically seek opportunities to work on cutting-edge and impactful projects, want to have access to state-of-the-art computing resources and look for competitive compensation packages. They thrive in environments that foster a strong research culture, encourage open-source contributions and collaborations and prioritise ethical AI practices. Moreover, top AI talent values working with interdisciplinary teams, where they can learn from and collaborate with experts across various domains, such as natural language processing, computer vision, robotics and cognitive science. Access to powerful computational resources, including GPU clusters, TPU pods and specialized hardware accelerators is also crucial for training and experimenting with complex deep learning models. In this rapidly evolving landscape of AI, winning the talent war is not just about offering competitive compensation packages. It is about creating a workplace experience where top talent can thrive, collaborate and push the boundaries of innovation. By understanding their unique desires and preferences, companies can differentiate themselves and secure a competitive edge in the battle for the best minds in AI.
How Identity is Formed
From the moment they are born, children are learning who they are and how they fit into the world around them. Through social interactions with peers and caregivers, they become increasingly aware of themselves and begin to develop a personal identity. This discovery of self is an important part of the social and emotional development that continues throughout childhood with the following stages of identity development:
First year of infancy: Because babies are so dependent on their caregivers, infancy is all about building trusting relationships. As infants learn about how they relate to the world around them, it is especially important that they learn to trust others, that they have a place in which they belong and that they are worthy of being loved and cared for.
18 months to 2 years of toddlerhood: During toddlerhood, children become increasingly aware of themselves and begin to desire a sense of control over their environment and daily routines. Toddlerhood self-awareness reaches a high point when a child can identify itself as a unique individual. Toddlers absorb the messages they have received about themselves and develop a sense of who they are and what they are capable of doing.
3 to 5 years of preschool activity: As they gain more physical strength, preschoolers become especially interested in trying to move their bodies in new ways. These physical attributes and abilities make up a large portion of young children’s perception of themselves. Even older preschoolers, when asked to talk about themselves, focus almost exclusively on what they look like, what they like to play with and what they physically can do.
Passing successfully through these different stages of identity development with the support and engagement of parental care, individuals are well prepared to deal with future challenges of protecting their identity.
Destruction of one’s Identity by AI
OpenAI, the company that created ChatGPT, has announced that it will be offering users the ability to sell and share customized AI agents or GPTs through a newly developed user platform. This announcement illustrates that OpenAI has understood the psychological effects and ethical issues surrounding the impact of AI generated replicas. Developers and companies have to consider the psychological and ethical effects of creating a real person’s AI replica without their knowledge or consent. When AI replicas are created and used without the person’s permission, boundaries considered akin to ‘body snatching’ or ‘theft of personality’ are crossed which may trigger legal issues as well. The technology to create AI replicas of real people is no longer science fiction. AI models can be trained on personal data or publicly available online content. Some AI-platforms are racing to prevent this data from being used without the permission of its creators, but much of this data has already been scraped from the Internet and is used to train existing AI models. However, to create an individual’s AI replica without the involved person’s knowledge or permission remains problematic. Hence, the creation and use of ethical and responsible AI replica should meet the following criteria:
- The use of a person’s likeness, identity and personality should be under the control of the person him/herself or a designated decision maker who has been assigned that right.
- Because AI replicas come with risks of misuse and reputational damage, consent to create, share and use AI replicas must be required. Creating and sharing an AI replica without the person’s permission may lead to harmful psychological effects on the portrayed person.
- Some researchers are advocating federal regulation in the production of digital replicas of humans. The ‘No Fakes’ Act is a proposed bill that would protect a person’s right to use their image, voice or visual likeness by a digital replica. This right would be passed to heirs and would remain valid for 70 years after the individual’s death, similar to copyright law.
The Future AI Development
Voice-activated personal assistants like Siri and Alexa are becoming more integrated into our daily lives. These AI entities are designed to be relatable and human-like, which can lead to emotional connections and even a sense of companionship. As people form social bonds with AI, it raises questions about the boundaries of social identity. Can a machine truly be considered a friend or confidant, and if so, how does this affect our self-perception and social identity? These systems already play a pivotal role in biometric identification systems, such as facial recognition and fingerprint scanning, technologies that also have become prevalent in security and authentication. While they enhance security, they also introduce concerns regarding identity theft and personal data security. As AI increasingly recognizes us by our unique physical traits, it forces us to confront questions about the nature of identity tied to our biometrics. Above all it is essential that we keep in mind that AI is just a tool that helps us managing the challenges of our daily life. This top-down view keeps us in a position to make our own judgment concerning the usefulness of new AI developments.
Conclusion
The impact of AI on identity is complex and multifaceted. It redefines our professional and personal selves, challenges our ethical and moral identities, influences our social connections and raises questions about the security of our personal data. As AI continues to advance, it is essential for individuals and society as well, to navigate these changes with a deep understanding of its implications. Both, individuals as well as organisations, should remain critical regarding the long-term development of AI concerning identity protection. Is this really the next industrial revolution or just plenty of hype? After all, AI is just a tool and not science fiction designed to destroy human existence.