Engineering Oblivion: Implications of Generative Artificial Intelligence on Collective Memory and Nations' Narrative Sovereignty
Keywords:
Generative Artificial Intelligence, Engineering of Forgetting, Collective Memory, Digital Colonialism, Cognitive Sovereignty, National Security, Cyber WarfareAbstract
This study aimed to examine the role of generative artificial intelligence in engineering collective memory and shaping historical narratives, and to explore its implications for national security and cognitive sovereignty within the context of contemporary cyber warfare. It also sought to propose a strategic framework for safeguarding historical truth and strengthening states' cognitive security. The study adopted a qualitative research design based on qualitative content analysis of seven case studies involving the use of generative AI technologies in contemporary conflicts. The analysis focused on digital content, patterns of algorithmic dissemination, fabricated narratives, and strategies of cognitive influence. The findings revealed that generative AI has become a strategic instrument for producing artificial memory, narrative flooding, deepfake content, and the manipulation of digital archives, thereby reshaping collective perception and undermining the narrative sovereignty of states. The results further indicated that ownership of computational and algorithmic infrastructure has become a fundamental determinant of geopolitical power in the digital era. Based on these findings, the study recommends establishing sovereign infrastructures for protecting national archives through blockchain technology and smart contracts, developing defensive AI systems, promoting digital media literacy and cognitive resilience, establishing an international observatory to monitor cognitive attacks, and adopting binding international legislation to regulate AI-generated content and protect historical truth. The scientific originality of this study lies in introducing an integrated theoretical and applied framework that links generative artificial intelligence with the engineering of collective memory from the perspectives of national security and cognitive sovereignty. It further conceptualizes "digital colonialism of memory" as an emerging strategic threat and proposes a comprehensive model integrating technological governance, cognitive resilience, and cybersecurity to safeguard historical memory in the digital age.
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Copyright (c) 2023 Journal of Palestine Ahliya University for Research and Studies
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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