Reconstructing the Subjective Identity of Artificial Intelligence in the AI Era: From Instrumental Rationality to Ethical Entity

As artificial intelligence (AI) technology advances at an unprecedented pace, it is evolving from a mere instrument into a “quasi-subject.” This transformation inevitably reshapes the traditional human–machine relationship and gives rise to profound social and ethical challenges. From the dual perspectives of value philosophy and social ethics, this paper examines the trajectory by which AI shifts from being an “objectified tool” to a “constrained subject.” We propose a theoretical model of a “human-led finite subject,” laying a conceptual foundation for situating AI’s quasi-subjective role within social ethics. By analyzing possible directions for constructing AI subjectivity and the ethical dilemmas it faces, we outline a human–machine ecological symbiosis model grounded in algorithmic justice.