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The Global Cultures of Artificial Intelligence
How cultures like India, Japan and others are developing AI systems from their perspectives & why it’s important to understand.
In Western societies there is a stark difference in how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is viewed compared to other societies, from African and Japanese to Indian. What is emerging today is a fascinating cultural tapestry of AI tools and services, one where Western approaches may play only a part and not dominate the outcome of AI in our global societies.
In the West, Silicon Valley and culture is wrestling with the existential angst of super intelligent machines. Yet in Japan they’re creating AI companies instead of agents, incorporating the concept of “kokoro” (heart/spirit) and in India they’re encoding the ancient Vedantic wisdom into algorithms. African nations are creating AI systems that preserve oral traditions, strengthening community bonds.
Western societies are deeply influenced and informed by Cartesian dualism; a strict separation of mind and matter. Technological development in the West is often seen as competition over cooperation. This has significantly influenced the initial development of AI. While today, Silicon Valley tends to be the message we most often hear, it is less impactful at a…
