Does Nostalgia Change Our Attitudes Toward AI?

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Recent research reveals how nostalgia raises both skepticism and openness toward technological advances, particularly artificial intelligence (AI) and 5G technology. The study surveyed 1629 participants from the United States, the United Kingdom, and China and found that nostalgia had a dual effect on how people perceive AI and 5G technology and whether they would support research in those areas.

Nostalgia, defined as a sentimental longing for the past, heightens skepticism and opposition toward change and is also linked to people being less supportive of AI and 5G technology research. However, nostalgia that promotes feelings of social connectedness increases positive support for AI and 5G. The double-edged sword of nostalgia is likely rooted in its complex emotional experience, which involves both pleasure and sadness in longing for the past.

The dual effect of nostalgia highlights the underlying ambivalence that people often have toward advances in AI and subsequent change. Nostalgia raises a mix of bittersweet feelings, which can simultaneously fuel resistance to change as well as excitement for future possibilities for more connectedness. Some people, like early adopters, will welcome the disruption of status quo, while others will yearn for the way things were.

The concept of "tech-nostalgia" or "technostalgia" specifically refers to a reminiscence or fondness for past technology and the associated rituals, practices, experiences, and processes. Tech-nostalgia is rooted in an emotional attachment to the ways of life and experiences of past technology, such as the ritual of putting on a vinyl record or the warble of a cassette tape. Other examples are is digital filters that emulate film photography or music samples made to simulate analog sound. Tech-nostalgia in part explains the revitalized interest in the analog experience of cassette tapes and reel-to-reel audio recording and renewed interest in digital CDs. It is also true that people are realizing that such analog technologies, once considered "outdated," offer unique advantages and experiences, capturing elements that newer, digital technology may not be able to.

These examples illustrate that while new technologies will continue to be embraced, some may retain an emotional attachment to the past. This interest may resurge long after the technology is considered outdated or less efficient, convenient, or effective. This phenomenon suggests that both can be true: People can welcome and adopt technological innovation while also wanting to maintain a connection to the past.

Viewing AI as augmentation and integration rather than replacement of existing experiences will be more likely to cultivate positive attitudes toward AI. Furthermore, keeping social connectedness as a central goal will also be important to alleviate skepticism toward change.

The influence of nostalgia on attitudes toward AI is multifaceted. Understanding the complex experience of nostalgia will help researchers and developers design AI in a way that resonates with users—even those who may long for the past.

Marlynn Wei, MD, PLLC © Copyright 2024