Experiencing Generative AI: technology's double-edged sword

This chapter examines the evolving relationship between Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) and human emotional experience, drawing on philosophical and aesthetic traditions from Plato and Aristotle to Derrida and Foucault. As GenAI increasingly engages in emotional and cognitive domains, it raises ethical and philosophical questions about its dual role as both enhancer and manipulator of perception. Framed through the metaphor of a “double-edged sword,” the discussion explores GenAI's capacity to influence thought, emotion, and preference—enhancing creativity and productivity while also posing risks related to deception, privacy, and cyberbiosecurity. The chapter also considers how GenAI-generated content challenges traditional ideas of authenticity in art, particularly through its emotional resonance. Building on the experiential theory of influence, it argues that content valence shapes affective responses, blurring boundaries between genuine empathy and artificial simulation. Ultimately, the chapter calls for deeper critical reflection on GenAI's complex role in shaping human experience, cognition, and cultural meaning.