Associate Professor Visisya Pinthongvijayakul, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Ph.D. (Anthropology), The Australian National University
Talk Medium and Robots: Enchanting Artificial Intelligence in Sacred Space
Abstract In the era of big data and intelligent systems, technology is often viewed purely through the lens of rationality and mathematical optimization. However, in Southeast Asia, sacred spaces and traditional spiritual practices are actively integrating modern technologies, leading to the "re-enchantment" of artificial intelligence. Drawing on extensive anthropological fieldwork on spirit mediumship in Thailand, this keynote explores the fascinating parallels between human spirit mediums and AI-driven agents—including robots, chatbots, and recommendation algorithms. Both serve as "black box" mediators that translate unseen forces into actionable guidance, offering psychological healing, agency, and emotional trust to those seeking answers. As practices like digital fortune-telling and online rituals flourish, users increasingly engage with machine learning models as modern-day oracles. By bridging ethnographic insights with data science, this talk challenges AI researchers and engineers to look beyond quantitative metrics. It highlights how understanding cultural belief systems and spiritual interactions can inspire more human-centered, empathetic, and trustworthy AI design in diverse global contexts.