Beyond Humanity: The Posthuman Shift in Literature and Society During the Era of Artificial Intelligence

- Aive Chakraborty

In the contemporary landscape of the 21st century, the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has not only fundamentally altered the modalities through which humans engage with their daily lives and cognitive processes but has also significantly reshaped their self-perceptions and identities. The rise of sophisticated machines that possess the capability to emulate human thought processes and creative endeavors compels a deep and critical reevaluation of the intrinsic qualities that define humanity itself. Within this context, literature—often regarded as the most enduring and profound mirror of human consciousness—emerges as a crucial arena in which to scrutinize and analyze the implications of this transformative phenomenon. The theoretical framework known as the posthuman turn, which is deeply rooted in the principles of posthumanist discourse, challenges us to fundamentally rethink and reconceptualize various constructs such as identity, authorship, emotionality, and ethical considerations in an era dominated by intelligent machines and algorithms. This intellectual exploration is imperative, as it encourages a nuanced understanding of the complexities associated with human-machine interactions and the resultant shifts in societal norms and values. Ultimately, it is through such rigorous examination of these themes that we can begin to comprehend the broader implications of AI on the human experience and our evolving place within it.

In her seminal work A Cyborg Manifesto, Donna Haraway (1991) compellingly articulates the notion that the demarcation between the categories of human beings and machines is not a rigid or fixed boundary but rather one that is “leaky,” suggesting that our intricate and hybrid entanglement with various forms of technology serves to effectively dissolve and challenge the long-established dualisms that have traditionally separated concepts such as nature and culture, body and mind, as well as human and nonhuman entities. This scholarly article endeavors to delve deeply into the ways in which literature not only reflects upon but also critiques and actively participates in this profound reconfiguration of boundaries, tracing a genealogical lineage that spans from Mary Shelley’s iconic work Frankenstein to contemporary narratives centered around artificial intelligence, such as Kazuo Ishiguro’s thought-provoking novel Klara and the Sun and Ian McEwan’s intricate exploration in Machines Like Me. By examining these literary works, we can gain valuable insights into the evolving relationship between humanity and technology, as well as the implications of these dynamics on our understanding of identity, agency, and the very essence of what it means to be human in a rapidly changing world.

Posthumanism fundamentally interrogates and contests the Enlightenment's entrenched ideal of the individual as an autonomous, rational being who is self-sufficient and complete in their own right, uninfluenced by external forces or entities. Prominent scholars such as N. Katherine Hayles have posited that, in the contemporary era characterized by rapid advancements in cybernetics and artificial intelligence, we have, in fact, always existed in a posthuman condition, as she articulates in her seminal work, "How We Became Posthuman," published in 1999. The notion of the human being as an isolated entity, separate from the technologies it employs, is fundamentally flawed; instead, our identities and understandings of ourselves are perpetually shaped and constructed through our dynamic interactions with various tools, symbols, and complex systems that surround us. The increasingly pervasive integration of artificial intelligence into our daily lives serves to bring this intricate reality into even sharper focus and clearer visibility: for instance, chatbots are now capable of composing poetry, algorithms are employed to curate and enhance aesthetic experiences, and robots are designed to replicate and simulate empathetic responses. Such remarkable advancements and developments in technology fundamentally challenge and destabilize the long-held belief in human exceptionalism, which is the conviction that attributes such as creativity, deep emotionality, and self-aware consciousness are exclusively and inherently human characteristics not found in any other entities. Consequently, the rise of these technological innovations compels us to reconsider the very foundations of what it means to be human, as our relationship with technology continues to evolve and redefine the parameters of identity itself. In this complex interplay between humanity and technology, we are increasingly confronted with the profound implications of a world in which the boundaries between human and machine are increasingly blurred and redefined.

The protagonist of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun (2021), a solar-powered “Artificial Friend,” recounts the world with sensitivity, loyalty, and wonder. Her perception, despite being mechanical, evokes profound emotional depth, prompting readers to consider whether empathy is a biological or conscious phenomenon. Similarly, Ian McEwan’s Machines Like Me (2019) introduces a humanoid robot, Adam, who demonstrates both moral reasoning and emotional attachment, but his perfection reveals human imperfection; Adam’s moral rigidity and emotional clarity make him both admirable and alien.

In terms of authorship and creativity, AI presents literature with perhaps the most radical challenge. Poems, books, and screenplays—once thought to be the sole purview of human imagination—can now be produced by algorithms. The topic of who is the author of stories that elicit strong feelings is raised by AI models such as GPT.

This brings to mind Roland Barthes' assertion in "The Death of the Author" (1967), according to which the reader's interpretation, not the author's intention, determines a text's meaning. In a time when machines create language by re-mixing pre-existing texts, Barthes' assertion takes on new meaning. The "author" becomes dispersed—a conflation of human and machine intelligence—if writing produced by AI is a synthesis of earlier human ingenuity.

The emergence of AI has permanently changed how society and literature view people. The storyline of artificial life, from Frankenstein's hideous creation to Klara's tender intellect, reflects our own conflict over what constitutes consciousness, emotion, and creativity. Instead of predicting the death of humanity, posthumanism calls for a reconfiguration of it, an invitation to reach new heights of understanding and empathy.

Literature continues to be our most important tool for introspection as we move into a future when robots can express grief and algorithms can compose symphonies. It serves as a reminder that being human means interacting with machines rather than separating from them; it means realizing that creativity in all its manifestations is a collective act of becoming. Therefore, the posthuman shift calls for a greater understanding of technology rather than a retreat from it.