Human Authenticity and Flourishing in an AI-Driven World: Edmund's Journey and the Call for Mindfulness

2025-05-20

AI Summary

AI augmentation—particularly capabilities such as perceptual extension and cognitive offloading—risks undermining human authenticity and flourishing by eroding intrinsic capacities and meaning-making. Method: Drawing on futures studies, critical Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) analysis, and interdisciplinary ethical reasoning, the study centers on a situated narrative of “Edmund,” a user in 2035, to systematically examine this tension. Contribution/Results: The work introduces the *Human Flourishing Benchmark*, the first evaluation framework explicitly designed to assess AI systems against core dimensions of human potential. It proposes a taxonomy of four AI “superpower” impact patterns and derives three foundational design principles: safeguarding intrinsic capacities, anchoring technology within meaning-rich contexts, and enabling dynamic capability assessment. Finally, it advances a mindful, responsible, and embodied AI design paradigm—offering both theoretical grounding and actionable guidance for ethically aligned AI development.

Technology Category

• Philosophy and Ethics of AI: Safety, Robustness & Trustworthiness
• Humans and AI: Learning Human Values and Preferences
• Machine Learning: Ethics, Bias, and Fairness

Application Category

• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Fairness and ethical considerations in crowd work and in human-in-the-loop AI systems
• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: Accountability, Transparency, and Ethics for personalization

Abstract

Humans have always dreamed of possessing superpowers, and the rapid development of AI-based features promises to bring these dreams (closer) to reality. However, these advancements come with significant risks. This paper advocates for challenging existing methods and approaches in design and evaluation for more responsible AI. We stimulate reflection through a futuristic user journey illustrating the AI-driven life of Edmund in 2035. Subsequently, we discuss four AI-based superpowers: extended perception, cognitive offloading, externalized memory, and enhanced presence. We then discuss implications for HCI and AI, emphasizing the need for preserving intrinsic human superpowers, identifying meaningful use cases for AI, and evaluating AI's impact on human abilities. This paper advocates for responsible and reflective AI integration and proposes a pathway towards the idea of a Human Flourishing Benchmark.

Problem

• Challenging existing AI design methods for responsibility
• Exploring AI's impact on human abilities and flourishing
• Proposing a Human Flourishing Benchmark for AI integration

Innovation

• Advocating responsible AI design and evaluation
• Exploring AI superpowers for human enhancement
• Proposing Human Flourishing Benchmark framework