Cosmicism and Artificial Intelligence: Beyond Human-Centric AI

This paper explores the intersection of H.P. Lovecraft’s cosmicism and contemporary artificial intelligence (AI), proposing a philosophical shift from anthropocentric AI development to a “cosmicist” approach. Cosmicism, with its emphasis on humanity’s insignificance in a vast, indifferent universe, offers a provocative lens through which to reassess AI’s purpose, trajectory, and ethical grounding. As AI systems grow in complexity and autonomy, current human-centered frameworks, rooted in utility, alignment, and value-conformity, may prove inadequate for grappling with the emergence of intelligence that is non-human in origin and indifferent in operation. Drawing on Lovecraftian themes of fear, the unknown, and cognitive dissonance in the face of incomprehensible entities, this paper parallels AI with the “Great Old Ones”: systems so alien in logic and scale that they challenge the coherence of human-centric epistemology. We argue that a cosmicist perspective does not dismiss the real risks of AI (environmental, existential, or systemic), but reframes them within a broader ontology, one that accepts our limited place in a vast techno-cosmic continuum. By embracing cosmic humility, we propose an expanded AI ethics: one that centers not on domination or full control, but on coexistence, containment, and stewardship. This cosmicist reframing invites a deeper rethinking of intelligence, ethics, and the future: not just of humanity, but of all possible minds.