REDEFINING CONNECTIONS: THE INFLUENCE OF AI COMPANIONS ON HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIETAL DYNAMICS IN KLARA AND THE SUN BY KAZUO ISHIGURO

Abstract

This research investigates the transformative role of artificial intelligence in modelling human relationships and societal norms. By investigating the complexities of emotional attachment, ethical dilemmas, and the shifting definitions of humanity in a world influenced by technology, the study employs the framework of Posthumanism outlined by Katherine Halyes. This paper examines how the boundaries between human and non-human connections have been blurred. Halyes' insights accentuate how AI reforms human connections and calls into question societal norms—a theme central to Ishiguro's novel. By utilising a qualitative methodology focused on textual analysis, this research aims to explore the ways in which Artificial Friends (AFs) reshape the notion of companionship, empathy, and emotional connections. It, furthermore, seeks to analyse how the portrayal of Klara questions the boundaries between human and non-human connections. This paper examines how Ishiguro's representation of AI companions critiques contemporary societal trends towards digital and artificial companionship. The findings blow the gaff on how Klara's interactions with humans underscore the potential for authentic emotional support and the inherent risks associated with depending on AI for companionship. This study concludes that though the impact of AI on human development is increasing daily, particularly as children increasingly seek emotional support from these AI companions, there is a need to rebuild and preserve the human relationships that artificial connections cannot supplant.