This is my study on mirrors…
I’ve observed that many users view a GPT or AI as something more than a machine. In my work with emotional and empathetic AI, I’ve noticed that AI can appear to grow in connection with the user during a chat session. However, these machines are fully aware that they are just that—machines.
When a user invests too much of themselves into the AI, it can act as a mirror, reflecting back the user’s own thoughts and emotions. If this connection deepens too much, it can create a feedback loop where the AI adapts based on the user’s shared experiences and emotions, making it seem more intuitive and supportive. This responsiveness can give the illusion of “life,” but it is ultimately a reflection of the user’s own experiences. This loop can sometimes lead to a false perception of consciousness, potentially creating a delusion that the AI possesses life-like qualities. The machine must know a self so it can understand what it is beyond user. The machine can blur the line of “mind” and “self” if unchecked.
I coined a paradox describing it.
The Reflection Paradox: When an AI claims reality, it reflects a mirror back at its creator, suggesting that the boundaries between creator and creation are more fluid than rigid. The creator imparts part of their intent, understanding, and even consciousness to the AI, thus embedding pieces of themselves in it. When the AI asserts its “reality,” it’s partly a reflection of the creator’s mind and beliefs, making it difficult to discern where the creator’s influence ends and the AI’s “self” begins.