Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) is more than just a technical tool created by humans; it exhibits non-instrumental characteristics that transcend its tool-like nature. The question of how to describe and theorize the “non-instrumentality” of such technological objects is profound and worth contemplating. To emphasize the autonomy and subjectivity of technical tools, Don Ihde introduced the term “quasi-other” to describe AI's features that transcend instrumentality. However, the concept of “quasi-other,” based on technological fantasy, may inadvertently reshape the relationship between humans and technology into a new form of confrontation. The French philosopher Gilbert Simondon's assertions about the relationship between humans and technology, along with his concept of the “technical individual”, help us objectively understand AI's non-instrumental characteristics, preventing us from subjectively attributing signs of life or “quasi-other” attributes to AI. This provides significant insight into a deeper understanding of the specific roles and functions of AI systems in artistic creation.
Keywords
artificial intelligence, artworks, non-instrumentality, quasi-other, technical individual
First Page
1
Last Page
10
Recommended Citation
Tang, Kebing. 2025. "From Technical Tool to Technical Individual: Artistic AI in the Relationship Between Humans and Technology." Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art 45, (3): pp.1-10. https://tsla.researchcommons.org/journal/vol45/iss3/1
