From Me, Myself & I To Me, Myself & AI.

As humans, we are constantly evolving. Our understanding of the world around us changes with every new experience we have. It's only natural that our understanding of ourselves should evolve as well.

In the past, our self-identity was based largely on what others thought of us. We looked to others for validation and approval. But as we become more connected to the digital world, we are starting to form a new sense of self-identity based on our online presence. We create avatars or profiles that represent who we want to be seen as rather than who we really are. And this virtual identity is becoming just as important - if not more important - than our real-world identity.

But what happens when technology starts playing a role in shaping our sense of self? What happens when artificial intelligence begins defining who we are? it's not hard to imagine a future where AI has a say in how we see ourselves.

Already, there are examples of AI influencing the way we think about ourselves. For ex., Facebook introduced an algorithm that would show users more articles from publications with which they agree politically. This means that people are shown more articles from sources that confirm their political beliefs, and less articles from sources that challenge them. As humans, it's important for us to have our beliefs challenged so that we can grow & learn new things. However, with algorithms like this one, this is becoming increasingly difficult.

In addition to such algorithms, there are companies like Cambridge Analytica who use data collected from social media platforms to create psychological profiles of users. These profiles then allow companies like Cambridge Analytica to target Ads at individual users based on their personal likes & dislikes. This means that if you happen to "like" something on Facebook or Instagram- even if you don't realize you've done it- chances are good that you'll start seeing Ads for those products popping up all over your social media feeds. Again, this limits our ability as humans beings to make informed decisions about the things we buy & the opinions we hold.

Finally, what happens when technology starts playing a role in shaping our sense of self? What happens when artificial intelligence begins defining who we are? In a world where AI can track everything from our shopping habits to our social media posts, it's not hard to imagine a future where AI has a say in how we see ourselves. It's not hard to imagine a future where AI decides which clothes or makeup brands fit us best or which hairstyles look good on us (or doesn't). It's not hard to imagine a future where AI tells us how smart or successful or attractive we are...based solely on its own interpretation of data about us!

I leave you with one final thought! What happens an individual grabs control of the largest social media platform & can reach over 300M active users with one “tweet”?

#ai #socialmedia #technology