Bioethics and artificial intelligence: between deliberation on values and rational choice theory.

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Technology Studies
• Political Science

Background:

• Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly influenced by rational choice theory and techno-liberalism.
• Large corporations and investment funds support AI development, shaping its ideological underpinnings.
• Algorithmic processes like filter bubbles and echo chambers are prevalent in AI applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically examine the theoretical foundations of artificial intelligence.
• To analyze how AI, through specific algorithmic mechanisms, impacts societal discourse and democratic processes.
• To investigate the role of corporate and financial interests in shaping AI's societal influence.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of AI's ideological basis.
• Examination of algorithmic mechanisms (filter bubbles, echo chambers) and their effects.
• Critique of AI's impact on prerequisites for democratic deliberation.

Main Results:

• AI, rooted in rational choice theory, fosters homogeneous and polarized online environments.
• Algorithmic processes reinforce existing ethical, ideological, and political narratives.
• These mechanisms validate subjective choices as objective facts, hindering critical discourse.

Conclusions:

• AI's current trajectory, influenced by techno-liberalism, contravenes essential elements of democratic deliberation.
• The distinction between data and values, dissent, and diversity are undermined by AI-driven polarization.
• Revisiting AI's foundations is crucial for preserving pluralistic societies and informed public discourse.