Reclaiming Our Humanity in Times of AI | Lecture and conversation with philosopher Shannon Vallor

Vallor argued that innovation in this case often serves a commercial agenda, one that profits from constant change for its own sake. Third, by reflecting human patterns of thought, including our cognitive biases, GAI risks amplifying injustices. As Vallor put it, AI systems can “be even more effective  delivering injustice” if we don’t address these biases. However, she stopped short of labelling AI as purely harmful, suggesting that it’s more complex than simply being a "distorted mirror."

How to use the Mirror

Vallor showed images of Prudence from Greek mythology, pointing out that this mythological figure is often depicted holding or gazing into a mirror, symbolizing self-reflection, wisdom, and clear vision. Vallor drew a parallel to AI, suggesting that like a mirror, AI helps us see ourselves more clearly, exposing our biases and showing how they influence our actions and choices. As Vallor put it, “by amplifying our biases, AI also makes them obvious, placing the responsibility back on humans.” Vallor’s message was clear: we must critically examine the true goals of "innovation", rather than blindly participating in an endless cycle of growth, where everything is reduced to a commodity – where even our own intelligence is viewed as something to be replaced by a newer, better, and faster version.

The Myth of Super Intelligence

As Vallor argued, AI is not a super intelligent being on the brink of surpassing us—it is a reflection of ourselves. The idea that AI will soon surpass human intelligence is largely a narrative driven by commercial interests. Big Tech promotes this vision, but Vallor urged the audience to push back against it. The belief that human intelligence is flawed and biased, while AI models will one day be perfect and unbiased, is misguided. Vallor emphasized that human intelligence is far more sophisticated, multi-layered, and unique than we give it credit for. It cannot be reduced to the statistical regularities used in formal reasoning.

For example, Vallor pointed out the clear limitations of current Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, which often struggle with humour, irony, or even solving basic children’s puzzles. These models, while impressive in their ability to generate language, still lack the depth and nuance that human cognition brings. Vallor’s point was clear: creating something truly comparable to human intelligence may be impossible, and more importantly, human intelligence should be valued for its complexity and uniqueness rather than seen as something to be replaced.

Reclaiming Our Uniqueness

At the core of Vallor’s talk was the idea that humans are uniquely capable of shaping their future and redefining their identity. AI, as a mirror, can help us see ourselves more clearly, but we must be careful not to accept a shallow or distorted reflection. While AI can serve as a tool for self-reflection, we must resist the temptation to lose ourselves in the reflection, mistaking the image for reality.

As Vallor reminded the audience, “we must endeavour to escape Narcissus’s fate,” a reference to the myth of Narcissus, who became so entranced by his reflection in the water that he ultimately lost himself. In a world increasingly driven by technology, we risk falling into a similar trap—becoming so captivated by AI’s capabilities and potential that we lose sight of our own humanity and the values that truly matter. Instead of seeing AI as a replacement for human intelligence, Vallor argued that we should view it as a tool to help us better understand ourselves and the world, while remaining grounded in our unique ability to choose our future.

Announcement

Artificial Intelligence is in many ways a reflection of ourselves, for better or for worse. When we feed AI-algorithms with imperfect or biased data, they inevitably feed our faults back to us. But can AI also be used to boost humanity’s greatest strengths? Come listen to philosopher Shannon Vallor and see AI in a new light. 

Overcoming flaws

We as humans have always strived to overcome our limitations, weaknesses and flaws. Some think of the arrival of AI as the perfect tool that will finally enable humanity to do just that: achieve equality, justice and liberation from all kinds of ailments. AI could open our minds to new possibilities. It can be a way to help us grow, both intellectually and morally.

Reproduce flaws

Some, on the other hand, see AI as one of the greatest threats to humanity. After all, AI that is made out of a huge amount of data is bound to reproduce the same errors we’ve always made. On the horizon is not liberation, but an endless cycle of humanity’s worst mistakes playing on repeat. 

Rear view mirror

Will we ever be able to trust AI to help us unleash humanity’s full potential, or will it only ever be a flawed rear view mirror that reflects who we have always been? Or is the truth somewhere in the middle? That is the question that philosopher Shannon Vallor set out to answer in her latest book The AI-Mirror: How to Reclaim Our Humanity in an Age of Machine Thinking. Come and listen to Shannon Vallor, and join her in rethinking what AI is, can be, and what we want it to be. Philosopher Nina Poth moderates the discussion. 

This progamme is in English.

About the speaker

Shannon Vallor is a philosopher of technology and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Edinburgh. She researches the ethics of artificial intelligence and robotics, data ethics, ethics of automation, cross-cultural digital ethics, applied virtue ethics and philosophy of science. In her latest book, The AI Mirror: How to Reclaim Our Humanity in an Age of Machine Thinking, she explores the ways AI can reflect and reiter