Artificial Intelligence, Sexbots and Patipolitics — with Isabel Millar

Philosopher, cultural theorist, and author of The Psychoanalysis of Artificial Intelligence, Dr. Isabel Millar joins Am Johal to speak about the psychoanalytical questions of AI and subjectivity. They talk about how Isabel’s work draws from Jacques Lacan, the importance of considering sexuality and the body in conversations about AI, and acknowledging how intelligence is a dynamic concept that changes throughout history. Isabel draws from the film Ex Machina to consider the positioning of sexuality; and Blade Runner 2049 to pose deeply psychoanalytic questions revolving around the query ‘can AI be human?’ She also criticizes the development of AI for its disclusion of the Humanities disciplines, and speaks about her concept of patipolitics and how it relates to sexbots and the ethics of enjoyment and suffering. Full episode details: https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/episodes/138-isabel-millar.html Read the transcript: https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/transcripts/138-isabel-millar.html Resources: — The Psychoanalysis of Artificial Intelligence: https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783030679804 — The Palgrave Lacan Series: https://www.palgrave.com/gp/series/15116 — Isabel’s website: https://www.isabelmillar.com/ — Isabel on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IsabelVMillar — AI and the Patipolitical Body, to be released in 2022 Bio: Dr. Isabel Millar is a philosopher and cultural theorist from London. She received her PhD from Kingston University, School of Art in 2021. She holds an MA in Psychosocial Studies from Birkbeck College, University of London and a BA in Philosophy from The University of Sussex. She writes and talks about AI, sex, the body, space, culture, film and the future. Isabel is also a Research Fellow at the Centre for Critical Thought, University of Kent and Research Fellow and faculty at the Global Centre for Advanced Studies, where she teaches with GCAS’ newly formed Institute of Psychoanalysis. She has also done extensive international academic speaking and publishing, and script consulting for BBC Drama. Isabel has made numerous media, TV and podcast appearances. Recently on BBC2 (Frankie Boyle's New World Order), Russia Today, Morbid Anatomy Museum, The Freud Museum, Repeater Books (Mark Fisher, the Final Lectures), and many more. Her first book, The Psychoanalysis of Artificial Intelligence was published in 2021 in The Palgrave Lacan Series. She is currently working on her next book Patipolitics: On the Government of the Undead. Cite this episode: Chicago Style Johal, Am. “Artificial Intelligence, Sexbots and Patipolitics — with Isabel Millar” Below the Radar, SFU’s Vancity Office of Community Engagement. Podcast audio, October 20, 2021, https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/episodes/138-isabel-millar.html