Identity and digital aliases in the age of generative models and synthetic worlds

Abstract

As we become increasingly homogenized and categorized by digital algorithms and platforms that serve the interests of large tech companies, our understanding and representation of our own identity gets more complex and multi-layered. Furthermore, with current advancements in fields like generative media and augmented reality, not only our digital appearance but also our perceived physicality and personal characteristics are becoming subject to manipulation and reinterpretation. How do emerging technologies shape and transform our understanding and expression of identity?

By adopting a practical and speculative approach, exploring a person’s digital identity from an outsider’s perspective, this study seeks to uncover potential futures these technologies offer us as individuals, questioning the authenticity and nuances of digital aliases and representation in an increasingly technological world.