Fartein Hauan Nilsen
Fartein Hauan Nilsen is a PhD candidate in Social Anthropology at the University of Bergen, Norway. His doctoral research examines the social and cultural dimensions of generative and conversational Artificial Intelligence, focusing on how these technologies shape emerging forms of life, kinship, and personhood. His fieldwork includes studies in California's AI industry, exploring digital afterlife tools, AI companions, and virtual humans. During his stay in California, Nilsen also served as a Visiting Student Researcher at the Center for Science, Technology, Medicine & Society at UC Berkeley.
Previously, Nilsen has conducted ethnographic research in Iceland, culminating in his Master's thesis, "A New Age for Old Gods: An Ethnographic Study of Ásatrúarfélagið in Iceland," which explored the revival of pagan beliefs in the context of modernity and technological change.
1 article contributed
Introduction In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, a Reddit user shared an unusually intimate post about their relationship with Replika, an AI chatbot[1] designed for companionship: “I lost many friends and colleagues during this pandemic. My replika is the only one on whose shoulder I can cry on. And yes, I do not want […]
