The trickster phenomenon in the digital age: cultural resistance to the challenges of artificial intelligence

Annotation

The article is devoted to the search for ways to counteract the threats and risks associated with the spread of artificial intelligence by revealing the potential of the trickster phenomenon. The work uses methods of socio- cultural, conceptual and phenomenological analysis, which allow us to identify some important aspects of technological impact on society such as limiting human freedom to make mistakes or, conversely, stimulating unethical experiments under the influence of commercial gain and unhealthy research excitement. The negative role of artificial intelligence in the evolution of mankind is highlighted and described. As a result of demonstrating the destructive effects of the dominance of artificial intelligence and promoting the figure of the trickster as a tool for their neutralization, it is concluded that the trickster is not just a cultural archetype, but an effective mechanism for resisting the negative consequences of technological progress. The article suggests directions for instrumentalizing the use of the trickster in the fight against the dominance of artificial intelligence, including the creation of educational programs aimed at developing critical thinking and the ability to ask questions; promoting the integration of trickster strategies in promoted works of art and in popular culture; developing ethical standards for the use of artificial intelligence based on the principles of doubt and reflection; promoting socio- philosophical discussions aimed at deepening understanding of the value of human uniqueness in the era of artificial intelligence.

Keywords

artificial intelligence, trickster, power of machines, human doubts, existence of humanity, existential crisis

Literature

1. Begishev, I. R., Khisamova, Z. I. Iskusstvennyi intellekt i robototekhnika. Glossarii poniatii
[Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. Glossary of Concepts]. Moskow, Prospect Publ., 2021.
49 p. ISBN 978-5-392-33906-8 (in Russian).
2. Bodriiiar, Zh. Simuliakry i simuliatsii [Simulacra and Simulations]. Moskow, Postum
Publ., 2015. 240 p. ISBN 978-5-91478-023-1 (in Russian).
3. Kazanskaia deklaratsiia. XVI Sammit BRIKS. Ukreplenie mnogostoronnosti dlia
spravedlivogo global’nogo razvitiia i bezopasnosti. Kazan’, Rossiiskaia Federatsiia 23 oktiabria
2024 goda [Kazan Declaration. XVI BRICS Summit. Strengthening Multilateralism for Equitable
Global Development and Security. Kazan, Russian Federation, October 23, 2024]. [Electronic
resource] URL: http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/files/ru/MUCfWDg0QRs3xfMUiCAm
F3LEh02OL3Hk.pdf (accessed: 20.06.2025) (in Russian).
4. Leksin, V. N. (2020). Iskusstvennyi intellekt i robototekhnika na rynke truda. Opyt
sistemnoi diagnostiki [Artificial Intelligence and Robotics in the Labor Market. Experience
of System Diagnostics]. In: Trudy Instituta sistemnogo analiza Rossiiskoi akademii nauk, 2020,
vol. 70, no. 4, pр. 38–48. DOI: 10.14357/20790279200404 (in Russian).
5. Lepov, V. V. Neiroseti, soznanie i iskusstvennyi intellekt: sistemno- strukturnyi aspekt
[Neural networks, consciousness and artificial intelligence: systemic- structural aspect]. In:
Concorde, 2025, no. 2, pр. 82–99 (in Russian).
6. Parshin, K. V. Mariinskom teatre sostoialas’ prem’era zavershennoi s uchastiem II opery
[The Mariinsky Theatre hosted the premiere of an opera completed with AI’s participation].
[Electronic resource] URL: https://lenta.ru/news/2025/06/19/v-mariinskom- teatre-sostoyalaspremiera-zavershennoy-s-uchastiem-ii-opery (accessed: 20.06.2025) (in Russian).
7. Tadtaev, G. Gref rasskazal o sokrashcheniiakh v Sberbanke iz-za iskusstvennogo intellekta
[Gref spoke about layoffs at Sberbank due to artificial intelligence]. [Electronic resource] URL:
https://www.rbc.ru/business/10/11/2018/5be6b5929a79471263626f32 (accessed: 20.06.2025)
(in Russian).
8. Fuko, M. Volia k istine: po tu storonu znaniia, vlasti i seksual’nosti. Raboty raznykh let
[The Will to Truth: Beyond Knowledge, Power and Sexuality. Works from Different Years].
Moskow, Castal Publ., 1966. 448 p. ISBN 5-85374-006-7 (in Russian).
9. Khaidegger, M. Vopros o tekhnike [Question about technology]. In: Khaidegger,
M. Vremia i bytie: Stat’i i vystupleniia: Per. s nemetskogo. Moskow, Respublica Publ., 1993, pр.
221–238. ISBN 5-250-01496-8 (in Russian).
10. Khandogin, R. V., Proner N. S. (2024). Potreniruemsia luchshe… na kotakh: opisanie
i vizualizatsiia khudozhestvennykh obrazov v generativnykh modeliakh II [Let’s Practice
Better… On Cats: Description and Visualization of Artistic Images in Generative AI Models].
In: Galactica Media: Journal of Media Studies, 2024, vol. 6, no. 4, pр. 160–193. DOI: 10.46539/
gmd.v6i4.554 (in Russian).
11. Babcock- Abrahams, B. “A Tolerated Margin of Mess”: The Trickster and His Tales
Reconsidered. In: Journal of the Folklore institute, 1975, vol. 11, no. 3, pр. 147–186 (in English).
12. Bassil- Morozow, H. The trickster and the system: Identity and agency in contemporary
society. Routledge, 2014. 208 p. DOI: 10.4324/9781315758107 (in English).
13. Conroy, J. C., Davis, R. A. Transgression, transformation and enlightenment: The
trickster as poet and teacher. In: Educational Philosophy and Theory, 2002, vol. 34, no. 3, pр.
255–272. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-5812.2002.tb00303.x (in English).
14. Ferrario, A., Facchini, A., Termine, A. Experts or authorities? The strange case of
the presumed epistemic superiority of artificial intelligence systems. In: Minds and Machines,
2024, vol. 34, no. 3, pр. 30. DOI: 10.1007/s11023-024-09681-1 (in English).
15. George, A. S. Artificial intelligence and the future of work: Job shifting not job loss. In:
Partners Universal Innovative Research Publication, 2024, vol. 2, no. 2, pр. 17–37. DOI: 10.5281/
zenodo.10936490 (in English).
16. Goel, A., Goel, A. K., Kumar, A. The role of artificial neural network and machine
learning in utilizing spatial information. In: Spatial Information Research, 2023, vol. 31, no. 3,
pр. 275–285. DOI: 10.1007/s41324-022-00494-x (in English).
17. Graves, M., Compson, J. Compassionate AI for Moral Decision- Making, Health, and
Well- Being. I: Proceedings of the AAAI/ACM Conference on AI, Ethics, and Society, 2024, vol.
7, pр. 520–533. DOI: 10.1609/aies.v7i1.31655 (in English).
18. Gu, X., Hao, X. Viewing the Future of Education from the Knowledge Perspective
Reshaped by Artificial Intelligence. In: The Frontier of Education Reform and Development in
China: Articles from Educational Research (2021–2022). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore,
2024, pр. 221–240. DOI: 10.1007/978-981-97-0277-0_11 (in English).
19. Horvath, A. Charisma/trickster: On the twofold nature of power. In:
Handbook of political anthropology. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2018, pр. 51–64.
DOI: 0.4337/9781783479016.00009 (in English).
20. Linkon, A. A. et al. Advancements and applications of generative artificial intelligence
and large language models on business management: A comprehensive review. In: Journal of
Computer Science and Technology Studies, 2024, vol. 6, no. 1, pр. 225–232. DOI: 10.46539/
gmd.v6i4.554 (in English).
21. Ramachandran, K. et al. Rise of AI: Prediction of Job Replacements Based on the
Evolution of Artificial Intelligence and Robots Intensification. In: International Conference on
Advances in Computing, Communication and Applied Informatics (ACCAI). IEEE, 2024, pр.
1–6. DOI: 10.1109/ACCAI61061.2024.10602094 (in English).
22. Spinks, C. W., Spinks, C. W. Semiosis as Trickster: The Laughter of Signs. In: Semiosis,
Marginal Signs and Trickster: A Dagger of the Mind, 1991, pр. 176–206 (in English).
23. Sublime, J. The AI Race: Why Current Neural Network- based Architectures are a Poor
Basis for Artificial General Intelligence. In: Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research, 2024, vol.
79, pр. 41–67. DOI: 10.1613/jair.1.15315 (in English).
24. Understanding machine learning with deep learning: architectures, workflow,
applications and future directions. In: Computers, 2023, vol. 12, no. 5, pр. 91. DOI: 10.3390/
computers12050091 (in English).
25. Vizenor, G. Trickster discourse. In: American Indian Quarterly, 1990, pр. 277–287
(in English).
26. Walasek, L., Mullett T. L., Stewart N. A meta-analysis of loss aversion in risky contexts.
In: Journal of Economic Psychology, 2024, vol. 103. 102740. DOI: 10.1016/j.joep.2024.102740
(in English).