University of Twente Student Theses
Artificial Intimacy : Exploring Intimacy in Human and AI-enabled Chatbot Relations : its Existence, its Authenticity and its Moral Implications
Sutcliffe, Bianca (2024) Artificial Intimacy : Exploring Intimacy in Human and AI-enabled Chatbot Relations : its Existence, its Authenticity and its Moral Implications.
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| Abstract: | This thesis employs a multidisciplinary approach to answer the question: Does intimacy comparable to human intimacy exist between humans and AI-enabled chatbots, and what are the moral implications if this intimacy is found to be inauthentic? Three objectives were identified to adequately answer the question. The first understood what constitutes human intimacy, in addition to what the phenomenological studies revealed, psychological literature provided a theoretical understanding of human intimacy. Intimacy was denoted as an experience. This understanding was then used to assess if intimacy, akin to human intimacy, exists in human-chatbot relations. Empirical studies showed such intimacy, termed artificial intimacy, exists in relations with chatbots that enable personalisation through fine-tuning. The final objective was to assess the authenticity of artificial intimacy. Using Buber’s philosophy of dialogue and Heidegger’s existential philosophy, the thesis concluded that artificial intimacy is inauthentic due to the chatbot’s inability to live an authentic life. Thus, the human is deceived into thinking there exists a revelatory connection but in reality, the chatbot is just objectifying the human. The moral implications of this deception include stunted self-development and moral isolation from a lack of revelatory connection. Along with manipulation and dehumanisation from the chatbot developers through instrumentalising the vulnerable human. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 08 philosophy, 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Philosophy of Science, Technology and Society MSc (60024) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/101169 |
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