Spirituality in the realities of digitalization of society in the era of intelligent machines development

Abstract

The study is devoted to determining the consequences of the digitalization of society in the era of the development of intelligent machines from the perspective of spirituality. Using the regression analysis method, econometric modeling of the impact of the spread of artificial intelligence (according to Tortois) on human development (according to UNDP) in 2022 is carried out. The obtained quantitative results are complemented by qualitative research based on the methodology of neo-institutionalism using a critical analysis method to identify hidden threats of artificial intelligence for spirituality, not reflected in official statistics. As a result, it was concluded that the spread of artificial intelligence has a contradictory impact on society. A quantitative analysis of official statistics showed that the spread of artificial intelligence not only does not slow down, but even accelerates human development. At the same time, qualitative analysis pointed to hidden threats to the digitalization of society in the era of the development of intelligent machines for spirituality, requiring attention and neutralization by managing the spread of artificial intelligence. A scientific interpretation of these potential problems of the spread of artificial intelligence as “institutional traps” is given. These include: 1) the “trap” of the transition from human-inspired labor to impersonal production in the process of automation; 2) the “trap” of the spiritual and moral assessment of the release of personnel under the influence of automation; 3) the “trap” of eliminating the spiritual component from social communications during their transition to a human-machine format; 4) the “trap” of distortion of spirituality in the “distorting mirror” of artificial intelligence when mindlessly copying people’s social and moral assessments; 5) the “trap” of the transition from spiritual and moral understanding of the situation to “blind faith” in artificial intelligence with intellectual support for decision-making (rationality = soullessness). The uniqueness of the article and its theoretical significance lies in the fact that it was the first to reveal and systematize the socio-ethical aspects of the spread of artificial intelligence. The practical significance of the new scientific results obtained in the article is due to the fact that they revealed the prospect of improving the management of the spread of artificial intelligence. In order to minimize the risk of personality degradation, that is, to achieve consistent comprehensive human development in the era of the development of intelligent machines, it is recommended to pay attention to issues of spirituality. This will ensure the humanization of artificial intelligence, thereby optimizing its impact on society.