The Thomistic Institute AI and Interpersonal Relationships I Prof. Jordan Wales
Sep 5, 2025
Jordan Wales, an Associate Professor and expert in historical theology at Hillsdale College, dives into the intricate world of artificial intelligence and its impact on human relationships. He discusses the ethical dilemmas of forming emotional bonds with AI, emphasizing the crucial difference between genuine human interaction and AI's simulated connections. Wales warns against viewing relationships as commodities and reflects on the need for authenticity amidst technological advances. His insights blend philosophy and contemporary issues, urging listeners to navigate the complexities of human-AI dynamics thoughtfully.
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AI Is Functional Performance, Not Inner Thought
- AI intelligence is functional competence: producing behavior that achieves externally specified goals.
- This competence can mimic human conversational thought without possessing interior consciousness.
Next-Word Prediction Powers Chatbots
- Large language models are trained to predict the next word from massive text corpora.
- Their apparent coherence derives from statistical tuning, not from inner understanding.
Layered Controls Shape AI Behavior
- Modern chatbots include layered controls: base model, fine-tuning, and output safeguards.
- Safeguards filter content at output rather than altering the base statistical model in real time.
