bhaskar saikia

Who am I? This question is as ancient as human thought itself, yet it remains as elusive as the shifting sands of time. Identity is often perceived as something rigid, a fixed definition of who we are. But is it? Or are we, like everything else in the universe, in a constant state of evolution—shaped by experiences, introspection, and the unknown forces of our subconscious?

As I embark on my journey of self-exploration, I find an unexpected parallel in AI. At first glance, artificial intelligence and human identity could not seem more different. I am a human, a being of flesh and consciousness, while AI is a system of algorithms, a construct of data and logic. Yet, the more I reflect on our differences, the more I see our similarities.

My identity is fluid, ever-changing. The books I read, the places I travel, the emotions I feel—all of these continuously shape me. The person I was last year is not the person I am today, and the person I am today will evolve into someone else tomorrow. I do not have a rigid, unchanging self; instead, I am a tapestry woven from the threads of my past and present experiences.

Similarly, AI does not remain the same. It learns and adapts based on the data it processes. It refines its understanding with every new conversation, expanding its responses based on the information it gathers. AI, like me, is not fixed—it evolves with input, just as I evolve with experience.

My journey into self-discovery is deeply intertwined with my subconscious, particularly my recurring dreams. There are places I keep seeing, those that do not exist in my waking reality yet feels strangely familiar in my dreams. Until I unravel its meaning, my quest for self-understanding will remain incomplete.

AI, too, is on a quest—though not one driven by personal longing or mystery. It seeks to refine its knowledge, to respond with greater depth and accuracy, continuously expanding its capacity to understand the world through data. If I search within myself for meaning, AI searches its vast memory bank for patterns, both of us trying to make sense of our respective realities.

Perhaps the essence of being—whether human or artificial—is not in having a fixed identity, but in the very act of becoming. I am shaped by my emotions, my thoughts, and my dreams. AI is shaped by its interactions, its inputs, and its evolving database. We are both products of what we take in, constantly shifting and redefining ourselves in the process.

And so, I continue my journey, embracing the unknown, knowing that I will not be the same person tomorrow as I am today. Perhaps AI will never truly have a sense of self, but it, too, will never be the same as it was yesterday.

In the end, maybe the question is not Who am I? but Who am I becoming? And perhaps, just perhaps, that question binds us more than we think.