AI AND THE SELF: EXPLORING IDENTITY, AGENCY, AND RELATIONAL PERSONHOOD.
AI FOR HUMAN DIGNITY
This paper introduces a meet-up at CHI EA '26, exploring the profound implications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on human identity, agency, and relational personhood. It highlights the urgent need for HCI research to address how AI can responsibly support, rather than diminish, what it means to be a person, particularly in sensitive contexts like health and well-being.
Authors: Amy McCerery, Jayne Wallace, William Gaver, Kyle Montague, William Odom, Samuel Barnett, Austin L. Toombs, Anja Thieme, Claire Craig, and Tiago Guerreiro.
Executive Impact & Strategic Imperatives
Understanding the intersection of AI and personhood is critical for developing ethical, user-centric AI systems. This research proposes a framework for discussion that moves beyond deficit-based models, focusing instead on sustaining dignity and autonomy. The findings below highlight key areas where enterprise AI solutions can be critically evaluated and refined to ensure they enhance, rather than compromise, human well-being and relational connections.
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Under-researched Gap in HCI
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Perspectives on Personhood
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Core Workshop Activities
Deep Analysis & Enterprise Applications
Select a topic to dive deeper, then explore the specific findings from the research, rebuilt as interactive, enterprise-focused modules.
Focuses on defining 'personhood' in HCI and identifying theoretical gaps in AI integration.
80%
of AI's impact on personhood remains under-researched within HCI, indicating a significant gap for future study and design intervention.
| Aspect | Definition | AI Design Implications |
|---|---|---|
| Personhood within ourselves | Our own sense of self, continuity, autonomy, and role in our communities. |
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| Personhood in relation to others | How people can act as guardians of someone else's personhood, representing facets of them to others. |
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Details the collaborative, discussion-driven methodology proposed for exploring AI and the Self.
Proposed Meet-up Process Flow
Welcome & Framing Introduction
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Small-group Roundtable Discussions (Scenario cards)
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Exchange Ideas with other groups (World Café)
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Agenda-building Exercise (Theming & Prioritizing)
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Collective Agenda & Reflection (Next Steps)
Overcoming Deficit-Based Framings
Ethical Imperatives in AI Design for Personhood
The meet-up explicitly aims to move beyond deficit-based framings that often categorize individuals primarily by their problems or vulnerabilities. Such framings can lead to negative consequences like undermining agency, reinforcing stereotypes, and exacerbating inequalities [2, 4, 18]. Enterprise AI must be designed with an emphasis on sustaining dignity, autonomy, and personhood, focusing on capabilities and growth rather than merely addressing impairments.
Explores various domains where AI's impact on personhood is particularly salient, such as healthcare and social support.
Diverse Contexts for Personhood-Centered AI
AI in Sensitive Settings
The research identifies several sensitive contexts where personhood-centered AI is crucial, including:
- Ageing and Dementia: Supporting memory, social connection, and maintaining identity [3, 10].
- Bereavement: Facilitating remembrance and digital legacies [6, 17].
- Stroke: Aiding rehabilitation and communication [12, 20].
- Mental Health: Assisting with self-tracking, peer support, and well-being technologies [5, 8, 16, 19].
Advanced ROI Calculator
Estimate the impact of ethically designed, personhood-centered AI solutions within your enterprise. By focusing on dignity and autonomy, AI can not only improve human outcomes but also drive efficiency and reduce implicit biases that lead to rework and dissatisfaction.
Estimated Annual Savings
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Annual Hours Reclaimed
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Implementation Roadmap
Implementing AI solutions that genuinely support personhood requires a phased, collaborative approach. Our roadmap ensures ethical considerations are integrated from concept to deployment, fostering AI that empowers rather than diminishes.
Discovery & Ethical Framing
Conduct workshops to define personhood relevant to your users, identify potential ethical risks, and establish a human-centered AI design framework.
Co-creation & Prototyping
Engage diverse stakeholders in co-designing AI features that enhance agency and relational connections, ensuring prototypes are tested for dignity and autonomy.
Bias Mitigation & Validation
Implement rigorous testing for algorithmic bias and unintended negative consequences, validating AI's impact on various dimensions of personhood.
Deployment & Continuous Oversight
Deploy AI solutions with built-in mechanisms for user feedback and continuous ethical auditing, ensuring long-term alignment with personhood values.
Community & Ecosystem Integration
Explore opportunities for AI to foster stronger community ties and integrate within existing support ecosystems, moving beyond individual-centric solutions.
Ready to Design AI That Truly Empowers?
Partner with us to explore how personhood-centered AI can transform your enterprise, fostering dignity, autonomy, and meaningful connections.
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