Perversion of the digital world: ethics of ChatGPT in the context of psychoanalysis and social philosophy

Abstract

Relevance. Considering the broad influence of generative artificial intelligence, in particular ChatGPT, in society, this article explores an insufficiently studied topic – ethics of artificial intelligence based on psychoanalysis. As artificial intelligence begins to shape the structure of human relationships, the study emphasizes the need to understand the ethical essence of emerging relationships mediated by artificial intelligence. Aim. To examine the interaction of a subject with artificial intelligence, which holds the potential for perverse dynamics of the subject. This is obvious in the context of positioning ChatGPT as «another», spared from the «name of the Father», which gives the chatbot an access to a non-normative sphere of the symbolic. Thus, allowing the subject to enjoy the mistakes of artificial intelligence as if they were made by the subject himself. This leads to a situation of "excluded inclusion", characteristic of the perversion structure. Methods. The psychoanalytic theory of Z. Freud and J. Lacan, presenting a new perspective on how artificial intelligence, viewed as the «another», can change a person's subjectivity; general philosophical methods, in particular, hermeneutical. Results. The study asserts that the subject enters into a «double» perversion relationship when interacting with ChatGPT – on the one hand, due to the proximity of artificial intelligence and the Lacanian concept of «undead», freed from the interaction of symbolic-real relationships, on the other hand, due to the subject receiving pleasure from the mistakes of artificial intelligence. An important result of the study is the articulation of an argument regarding the negative impact of these perverted encounters on the creative potential of the subject, which requires further research on the influence of artificial intelligence on the human psyche and creativity. Conclusions. The study recognizes the irreplaceable value of ChatGPT as a tool for selection, compilation and processing of data in modern society. Nevertheless, the scientific community, especially researchers in the humanities, should pay special attention to psychoanalytic perspectives of artificial intelligence research outlined by S. Zizek, N. Chomsky, D. Rouselle and M. Murphy in their 2023 discussion. This highlights the importance of analyzing the ethical implications of artificial intelligence in relation to the unconscious work and the psyche of the subject. Thus, this article is a significant addition to the discourse on artificial intelligence in the light of psychoanalytic theory, especially in the context of understanding the consequences of the emerging relationship between artificial intelligence and humans.

Keywords

• chatgpt
• psychoanalysis
• perversion
• artificial intelligence
• unconscious