Hypermodernism, an Alternative Perspective Beyond the Utopia and Dystopia Debate on AI

Author: Oktamandjaya Wiguna (Graduate Communication, University of Indonesia)

SALEMBA, September 20, 2024

Writer Joanna Maciejewska’s criticism of the development of artificial intelligence has become one of the most viral utterances this year. On March 29, 2024, Maciejewska wrote on X:

“I want AI to do my laundry and dishes so that I can do art and writing, not for AI to do my art and writing so that I can do my laundry and dishes.“

I asked ChatGPT why, on the one hand, there are applications of artificial intelligence by maritime biology researchers in the Caribbean to study thousands of records and decipher the communication systems of sperm whales (Sharma et al., 2024; Weisberger, 2024). But on the other hand, the majority of the use of artificial intelligence is more for help writing electronic mail or retouching photos. In just 1.5 years since 2022, AI has been used to create 15 million photos, while the world of analog and digital photography took 149 years to reach the same number (Valyaeva, 2023).

After this question prompt, ChatGPT explained that the success of reading the sperm whale’s sound patterns is a testament to artificial intelligence technology’s ability to process data and read patterns that may be difficult for humans to detect. Artificial intelligence can improve the ability of humans to run analyses involving large-scale data. However, the use of AI for text, image, voice, and video processing is more common due to commercial profit opportunities and market demand.

This type of technology is easier to monetize with advertisements and subscription fees. And because it is easy to apply to everyday life, this type of artificial intelligence receives more media coverage and public attention. ChatGPT’s answer confirms Jean Baudrillard’s suspicion of capitalist interests infiltrating technology development.

According to Baudrillard, when a technology has reached the stage where it can be used by the public, commercialization becomes the goal so that technological development is only an illusion because there is only the addition of minor features and packaging that can give prestige to its users (Baudrillard, 1996, p. 124).

Baudrillard (1996) refers to the automotive industry that developed rapidly in 1910-1940 and then stagnated. Instead of developing electric vehicles or flying cars as envisioned, manufacturers simply developed variations based on taste: bigger, faster, and more luxurious.

Technoboosterism bias in addressing AI

In contrast to Maciejewska or postmodernist thinkers like Baudrillard, industry and the public tend to have a positive view of artificial intelligence. Mikael Kopteff, who is Chief Technology Officer at artificial intelligence development company Reaktor, criticizes the media for exaggerating the capabilities of artificial intelligence like science fiction technology, causing anxiety. In fact, the current artificial intelligence is able to perform various tasks like humans, even though the current programs are only able to perform very specific tasks (Silverberg, 2024).

The Statista survey shows that Indonesia is classified as a country with the highest positive attitude and knowledge towards artificial intelligence in Asia. As many as 84 percent of Indonesian respondents know about artificial intelligence and 76 percent of Indonesian respondents are aware of products and services that use the technology (von Kameke, 2023, 2024).

These findings are in line with data from the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, where around 22 percent of workers in Indonesia have used AI in their work.
They come from the information and communication, financial services and insurance, government, and defense sectors, among others (Inscription, 2023).

BBC journalists Melissa Heikkilä and Zoe Kleinman stated the same thing, namely that the media tends to be negative in the face of artificial intelligence and needs a balance to also report on the positive side of this technology (Silverberg, 2024). However, an overly positive attitude towards this technology also carries the danger of technoboosterism bias. When dealing with innovation, there is generally a pro-technology bias, especially by the media, which emphasizes the positives, advantages, advancements, and exaggerates technology-based solutions by giving more space to proponents of new technologies and marginalizing groups that talk about the negative sides such as potential dangers and disadvantages (Brennen et al., 2021; Michelle, 2007).

Hypermodernism as an alternative perspective

The debate between utopian and dystopian views on artificial intelligence is seen by hypermodernist thinker Gilles Lipovetsky as unproductive because it does not provide concrete solutions. Lipovetsky sees the need to be cautious of modernism’s claim that technology has no limitations in offering freedom and convenience. However, he also disagrees with the overly pessimistic perspective of postmodernism, as if the situation can no longer be improved.

Lipovetsky believes that the complexity caused by technology, which creates an uncertain future, can be addressed now by emphasizing responsible technology development. The drive for responsibility should be collective, empowering individuals and mobilizing existing institutions (Lipovetsky p.27). This means that all stakeholders, especially policy makers and technology companies, should strive for responsible development of artificial intelligence.

So what is the form of responsible technology development and application? Another hypermodernist thinker, Simon Gottschalk, states that responsibility can start from being critical of technology. When the all-present technology hinders and eliminates human opportunities to obtain a quality life and deprives human autonomy, then at that point technology must be criticized (Gottschalk, 2018, p. 3).

When artificial intelligence used to create illustrations steals the works of creative workers (Kelly, 2022), or when artificial intelligence is used to replace employees so that thousands of people lose their livelihoods (Constantz, 2024), then we need to ask, is the development of this technology going in the right direction? Is artificial intelligence, as Gottschalk said, helping humans achieve a better life or is it taking it away?