Matteo Pasquinelli’s critical exploration of artificial intelligence’s socio-historical dynamics

Matteo Pasquinelli has delved into the complex socio-historical dynamics of artificial intelligence (AI) in his newly published book, “The Eye of the Master: A Social History of Artificial Intelligence” (Verso, 2023). Pasquinelli, a seasoned scholar in the field, leverages years of detailed research into the material and social history of science, offering a unique perspective on AI through the critical lens of Marxism and the historical epistemology of science.

Pietro Daniel Omodeo, a professor of historical epistemology at Ca’ Foscari University in Venice, Italy, provides insights into Pasquinelli’s methodology and conclusions. Pasquinelli’s work is underscored by a comprehensive examination of AI’s roots, dating back to pivotal historical moments such as Charles Babbage’s creation of early computing machines in the 19th century and Frank Rosenblatt’s invention of the Perceptron in 1957, an early model of neural networks.

Pasquinelli positions AI not only as a technological phenomenon but as an embodiment of the socio-economic conflicts that have riddled society since the dawn of the industrial age. He critiques the dominant neoliberal view that underscores AI’s potential to exponentially expand capital markets while often overlooking its implications for social and ecological justice. Within this discourse, he suggests, AI reflects the power dynamics and social relations intrinsic to capitalist societies.

The book articulates a labour-centred analysis of AI, suggesting that AI technologies, from their inception, are intertwined with the societal structures that produce them. Pasquinelli echoes Boris Hessen and other historical epistemologists by emphasising that the algorithms behind AI serve as extensions of existing labour practices, mirroring and occasionally reinforcing socioeconomic inequalities.

A significant part of Pasquinelli’s analysis focuses on the historical development of the neural network metaphor in AI, tracing its scientific roots to earlier conceptions of neuroplasticity from figures like Kurt Goldstein and Donald Hebb. He also explores the role of pattern recognition, informed by Gestalt psychology, as a foundational test for AI’s imitation of intelligence.

Furthermore, Pasquinelli scrutinises the ideological underpinnings of AI’s development. He discusses how early computer science integrated Hayek’s concept of “connectionism,” a perspective that likened AI’s neural networks to the self-regulating mechanisms of capitalist markets. This aligns with the broader neoliberal ideology that associates technological advances with autonomous economic regulation, which critiques such views for perpetuating capitalist alienation.

In tracing the technological lineage of AI, Pasquinelli reexamines 19th-century industrialisation. He highlights how early computational devices, like Babbage’s engines, sought to replicate mental labour akin to physical labour’s mechanisation. This, he argues, laid the groundwork for understanding AI as a continuation of the industrial trend towards greater automation and division of labour.

Pasquinelli draws his conclusions within the context of what he terms as intelligence “extractivism,” where AI evolves as a means to codify and control the labour process, extending far beyond factories into broader societal structures. He aligns this with a critique against technological determinism, arguing instead that human labour is inherently logical, and such logic is merely appropriated by the evolving technology of AI.

“The Eye of the Master” thus positions itself as a critical contribution to discussions on AI, challenging the narrative of technological determinism and exploring the socio-economic dimensions embedded in the rise of AI. By interweaving historical, socio-political, and technological threads, Pasquinelli’s work offers an intricate view of AI’s place within society’s past and present power structures.

Source: Noah Wire Services