The Psychological Impact of AI: Surpassed by Machines? | Why is the Meaning of Life 42 | Philosophy of Life Meaning Examples | Philosophy Body Wash | Turtles AI

The match between Lee Sedol and AlphaGo marked an epochal shift, raising profound questions about the relationship between humans and AI. How do we psychologically cope with machines surpassing our abilities?

Highlights:

• Lee Sedol vs AlphaGo: An event that highlighted AI’s potential to surpass humans even in complex and creative fields.
• Psychological impact: The superiority of AI can negatively affect self-esteem and personal efficacy.
• Creativity and originality: AlphaGo’s unconventional moves raised questions about the nature of human creativity.
• Social and ethical adaptation: The need to see machines as collaborators rather than competitors presents a psychological and social challenge.

The 2016 match between Lee Sedol and AlphaGo was more than just a contest between a human and a machine: it was a collective reflection on the future of humanity in an increasingly AI-dominated world. When AlphaGo, developed by DeepMind, defeated one of the world’s best Go players, it triggered a series of emotional and intellectual reactions that extended far beyond the game itself. The psychological impact of being outperformed by a non-human entity has raised questions about our identity, our capabilities, and our future.

Lee Sedol expressed a sense of loneliness and pressure during the match, feeling the weight of human expectations on his shoulders. This event raised the issue of the inferiority complex that can arise when humans are confronted with the superiority of machines. This feeling can negatively affect self-esteem and a sense of personal worth, leading to a perception of helplessness.

From a psychological perspective, the encounter between Lee Sedol and AlphaGo can be analyzed through various theories. Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy emphasizes how confidence in one’s abilities influences behaviour and success. When an AI surpasses a human in a field where the human is an expert, it can undermine this confidence, leading to a decrease in motivation and commitment. Additionally, Bandura’s social learning theory might explain how observing AlphaGo’s success could influence spectators’ self-efficacy expectations.

The match demonstrated that AI could adopt unconventional strategies, challenging our notions of creativity and originality. This raises further questions about what it means to be creative and how we can define ourselves in relation to machines capable of thinking in ways we cannot predict. Lee himself had to rethink his understanding of the game after seeing AlphaGo’s innovative moves.

The pervasive rise of AI and its psychological impact can also be examined through the lens of social psychology. Confrontation with a superior intelligence can lead to a phenomenon known as "existential unease," where individuals feel threatened in their deepest essence. This can lead to resistance or acceptance of AI capabilities, influencing how we integrate these technologies into our lives.

Besides individual psychological reactions, AI’s impact can have repercussions at a social and cultural level. According to Festinger’s social comparison theory, people tend to evaluate their abilities and opinions by comparing them with those of others. If AIs are perceived as superior in various fields, this could influence how individuals and society as a whole value human abilities. This could lead to a recalibration of our standards and expectations, shifting the emphasis from individual skills to the ability to collaborate effectively with machines.

Furthermore, integrating AI into our daily lives raises important ethical and moral questions. The rapid advancement of AI, especially generative types, can create cognitive dissonance, a form of psychological stress caused by perceiving inconsistencies between one’s beliefs and emerging reality. This phenomenon can be exacerbated by the fear of the unknown and the unpredictability of future AI applications. This is particularly true for individuals less familiar with technology and unaware of what is "under the hood" of AI. Therefore, our task at Turtle’s AI is to inform daily about advancements in the sector, highlighting the pros and cons of various solutions.

Another area of investigation connected to the psychological one concerns AI’s potential impact on the job market and the economy. According to a McKinsey Global Institute study, by 2030, up to 14% of the global workforce might need to change occupations due to automation and the introduction of advanced AI. This change could have profound effects on individuals’ professional identity and psychological well-being, requiring significant adaptation if not handled correctly, and especially if not associated with proper training in the use of these tools, which, let’s remember, must always allow humans to remain at the forefront, as we love to emphasize at Turtle’s AI.