Maiko Ichihara: AI control over people's thinking could threaten human dignity

Freedom of choice is one of the foundations of human dignity, and the influence of artificial intelligence on people's thinking and decision-making could pose a serious threat to this value, Maiko Ichihara, a professor of international relations at Japan's Hitotsubashi University, said.

According to Report, she noted that artificial intelligence, particularly chatbots, could have a significant impact on people's thinking, decisions and behaviour.

The professor stressed that issues surrounding the regulation of large language models (LLMs), as well as determining who controls these systems and for what purposes, are becoming increasingly important. She also highlighted the risk of using artificial intelligence to conduct influence operations and advance the interests of particular groups.

In her view, social media algorithms contribute to the spread of emotionally charged content that can shape people's political views. The professor believes these processes deepen social polarization, undermine mutual respect between social groups and erode trust between countries.