AI and the Erosion of Self-Identity
Summary:
Excessive reliance on AI could weaken our capacity for self-discovery, gradually shaping our identity without our full awareness. Ethicist Muriel Leuenberger cautions that letting algorithms make personal choices, like career paths or political beliefs, may undermine our autonomy. AI’s recommendations, though insightful, often reflect biases and hidden motivations, limiting users’ ability to truly understand themselves. To retain agency, individuals should actively shape their own identities rather than relying on AI, which can subtly reinforce predefined patterns, stifling growth and self-creation.
Relying heavily on AI could stunt essential self-discovery skills, subtly reshaping personal identity without full awareness, according to ethicist Muriel Leuenberger. In her essay from *AI Morality* (Oxford University Press, 2024), she warns that constantly using algorithms to select music, career paths, or political beliefs may erode our ability to make these decisions independently. AI’s influence on our lives raises significant ethical questions beyond technology’s possibilities; it challenges our understanding of identity and autonomy.
Leuenberger argues that while AI might appear beneficial in helping define interests, values, and choices, this reliance can inhibit personal agency. Recommendation algorithms often know so much about us—our preferences, interactions, locations, and even mental health—that they could shape us to fit their projections. But depending on AI to such an extent could mean outsourcing our most personal decisions, causing us to forget how to define these for ourselves.
This level of influence introduces challenges in determining if AI suggestions are genuinely trustworthy. With AI systems often functioning as “black boxes,” users cannot fully understand the origins or biases of recommendations. AI has been known to reinforce stereotypes from its training data, making it difficult to assess its fairness, accuracy, or the intentions behind its design.
Leuenberger emphasizes that personal identity should be self-crafted. In the spirit of existentialist philosophy, she argues that individuals should actively shape their identities rather than passively accept AI-driven guidance. AI might serve as a helpful mirror or external guide, but only humans can decide what their choices mean and whether they define their lives.
Over-relying on AI can lead to a modern identity crisis where we lose self-direction, and ultimately, responsibility for who we are. Beyond risking professional deskilling, relying on AI for personal choices may erode our ability to grow independently. Leuenberger suggests that true self-creation is a deliberate, often imperfect journey—one best taken by exploring options, taking risks, and engaging in self-reflection without constantly turning to AI.