Gain new insights into the complex relationship between cognition and AI

Inês Hipólito is a highly accomplished researcher, recognized for his research and co-editorial contributions in prestigious journals. She has received research awards including a prestigious Talent Grant from the University of Amsterdam in 2021. After receiving her doctorate, she held positions at the Berlin Graduate School of Brain and Brain and she held positions at the Humboldt University of Berlin. Currently, she is a Resident Lecturer in AI Philosophy at Macquarie University, where she focuses on cognitive development and the interaction of Augmented Cognition (AI) and the socio-cultural environment.

Inês co-leads a consortium project on “Exploring and Designing Urban Density”. Neurourbanism as a New Approach in Global Health” was funded by the Berlin University Alliance. She also serves as an ethicist for her AI in her Verses.

Outside of research, he co-founded and is Vice President of the International Society for the Science and Philosophy of Mind. She is the host of the thought-provoking podcast ‘The PhilospHER’s Way’, and from 2017 to 2020 she was active on the Women’s Philosophy Committee and the Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the Australian Philosophical Society. contributed significantly.

As part of the “Frontier Scientists” series, Hipolito interviews the Frontiers to discuss her career and research.

What made you decide to become a researcher?

Throughout my personal journey, my innate curiosity and passion for understanding the world’s experiences have been the driving force of my life. My interaction with inspiring teachers and mentors during my education further increased my motivation to explore the possibilities of objective understanding. This led me to embrace the original purpose of cognitive science as an interdisciplinary collaboration and pursue an interdisciplinary path in philosophy and neuroscience. I believe that bridging the disciplinary gaps will help us understand how the human mind interacts with the world. This integrated approach allows us to contribute both scientific knowledge and real-world applications that benefit individuals and society as a whole.

Could you tell us about your current research?

My research focuses on cognitive development and its impact on the cognitive science of AI. Sociocultural context plays a pivotal role in shaping cognitive development, from basic cognitive processes to the higher and semantically sophisticated cognitive activities that we acquire and engage in.

As AI permeates our world more and more, my research focuses on two main aspects. First, we investigate how smart environments such as online spaces, virtual reality, and digitized citizenship affect context-dependent cognitive development. By investigating these environmental influences, we aim to gain insight into how cognition is shaped and adapted within these technologically mediated contexts.

Next, we examine how AI design emerges from specific socio-cultural environments. AI design does not simply reflect society, it embodies its values ​​and aspirations. I explore the complex relationship between AI and its sociocultural origins to understand how technology is shaped and influenced by the circumstances in which it is developed.

Why do you think your research is important?

My research aims to contribute to our understanding of the complex relationship between cognition and AI, focusing on the sociocultural dynamics that influence both cognitive development and the design of artificial intelligence systems. I am particularly interested in understanding the paradoxical nature of AI development and its social impact. Technology has historically improved lives, but AI has also drawn attention to problematic prejudices and racism highlighted in the feminist techno-science literature.

As AI progresses, it is important to ensure that progress benefits everyone and does not perpetuate historical inequalities. Inclusivity and equality should be prioritized and dominant discourses favoring certain groups, especially white men, should be challenged. By recognizing that AI technology embodies our implicit biases and reflects our attitudes towards diversity and our relationship with the natural world, we can more effectively address the ethical and social implications of AI. you will be able to deal with it.

What are some common misconceptions about this area of ​​research? How would you deal with them?

The common misconception of seeing the mind as a computer has profound implications for our understanding of AI design and cognition. When cognition is viewed as a simple input-output process in the brain, the embodied complexity of human experience and the biases embedded in AI design are overlooked. This reductionist view fails to explain the importance of embodied interactions, cognitive development, mental health, well-being and social equity.

Our subjective experience of the world cannot be reduced to mere information processing, as it is context-dependent and imbued with meanings partially constructed by social dynamics.

As the environment is increasingly infused with AI, to understand how the environment is shaped and shaped by human experience, think of cognition as a (meaningless) information process. requires further investigation. Recognizing the decentralization and reification of cognition, AI technologies are designed and integrated in ways that respect the complexity of the human experience, embrace ambiguity, and promote meaningful and equitable social interaction. We can guarantee that.

What research areas would you like to pursue in the next few years?

Over the next few years, it will be important to work on several AI-related areas to shape a more inclusive and sustainable future.

Design AI to reduce stigma and discrimination and ensure equal opportunity for individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Make AI systems transparent and explainable, helping people understand how decisions are made and how to hold them accountable for unintended consequences.

Collaborate with diverse stakeholders to address biases, cultural sensitivities, and challenges faced by marginalized communities in AI development.

Consider environmental impact, resource consumption, waste generation, and carbon footprint throughout the lifecycle of AI technology.

How has open science benefited the scope and impact of your research?

Publicly funded scientific knowledge should be made freely available in line with the principles of open science. Open Science emphasizes transparency, collaboration and accessibility in scientific research and knowledge dissemination. Openly sharing AI-related knowledge, such as code, data, and algorithms, encourages various stakeholders to contribute their expertise, identify potential biases, and address ethical concerns within technoscience. Encourage.

Moreover, incorporating philosophical reasoning into the development of philosophical theories of mind can inform ethical considerations and decisions in AI design and implementation by researchers and policy makers. This transparent and collaborative approach enables critical evaluation and improvement of AI technology to ensure fairness, bias reduction, and overall fairness.