"Many Mistakes Arise from Haste and Unproductive Agitation"

Daniel Innerarity (Bilbao, 1959) does not succumb to the pessimistic sentiment that views artificial intelligence as the catalyst for numerous evils, such as the mass replacement of humans by machines. In his latest book, 'A Critical Theory of Artificial Intelligence' (Galaxia Gutenberg), with which the philosopher won the Eugenio Trías Essay Prize, he does not believe that ballot boxes will be replaced by algorithms. For now, he says, technology detects consumer appetites more than citizens' aspirations. Digital devices miss the task of harmonising preferences and interests, which is also a goal of democracy.

"I do not view technology as something that predetermines what will happen. Certainly, it conditions our lives, but that does not imply a single use. A clear example is how technology means completely different things to a Chinese person, an American, or a European."

"The crisis of traditional journalism is concerning, but not irreversible. There is journalism that is easily replaceable, such as that which merely transmits opinions without analysis. However, opinion and investigative journalism remain essential in society. Personally, I admire this type of journalism and consider it key to navigating the complex current information ecosystem."

"Many mistakes, both individual and collective, arise from haste and unproductive agitation. We need mechanisms and institutions that promote reflection if we want to avoid these errors."

"An illustrative example is aviation. For a long time, humans insisted that to fly, it was necessary to imitate birds, leading to inventions like Leonardo da Vinci's famous designs. This line of thought continued until the Wright brothers chose to study aerodynamics and discovered that planes could be heavy and did not need to flap their wings to fly. Similarly, I believe artificial intelligence should focus on exploring areas of compatibility with humans, rather than trying to replicate our abilities."

"There is an aspiration for machines to develop self-awareness or feelings, but it could be beneficial for our decision-making system to include machines that lack them. Not having feelings can be an advantage for making certain decisions, and not having a body, for example, means you do not get tired."

"Now the great confrontation occurs between technological solutionism, which understands that democracy – that is, procedures, state intervention, and debates – is a hindrance, and those of us who still think that the world's serious problems have solutions within the space of democratic values."

"Yes, he believes that issues such as climate change, financial stability, economic growth, or technological development have no solution within the democratic framework. Hence derives the chainsaw, a drastic reform of the Administration that makes the State synonymous with ineptitude. This generates serious consequences because trying to save the time democracy needs in debates and inclusion implies completely disregarding the impact that its decisions have on certain population groups or the environment."

"Several ideas have been proposed about what could be called data democracy. That is, instead of ballot boxes, a large digital device would record our behaviour in real-time, through consumption, mobility, and what we express on social networks, to systematically update our preferences and interests. The first problem is that the 'self' reflected in our digital footprints resembles more that of a consumer than that of a citizen. And secondly, democracy is not about satisfying people's demands, but about creating a space for discussion where we can weigh our preferences and their compatibility with those of others. And that escapes the machine."

"It is important to differentiate between the substitution of tasks and the elimination of jobs. Evidently, during this transition, issues of justice and inequalities will arise that must be corrected. Some people will face difficulties adapting to the new environment, so it will be necessary to protect them. However, the idea of a great technological replacement is unrealistic."

"I do not believe in either technological replacement or ethnic replacement, the latter thesis being promoted by far-right sectors, for example, in France. The idea that one civilisation will be replaced by another does not hold for multiple reasons. One of them is that humans possess a type of intelligence different from that of machines. This suggests that we should think in terms of hybridisation and complementarity, rather than substitution."