Daimon of the Machine

Abstract

This presentation explores the idea of artificial intelligence as a modern form of the daimon - an intermediary between human and non-human realms. Drawing on ancient philosophy, literary traditions, and contemporary theories of mediation, the talk situates AI in the liminal space between tool and subject. Through personal experimentation with neural networks and the creation of a digital twin, the author demonstrates how algorithmic systems function as autonomous agents that shape our self-understanding and cultural imaginaries. Rather than treating AI solely as a metaphor, the argument establishes structural parallels with daimonic mediation: algorithms as disembodied yet materially grounded intelligences, both medicine and poison, oracle and mirror. By framing AI as the “angel of the machine,” the presentation suggests that our interactions with these systems extend the lineage of daimonic encounters, where the self emerges as a dialogue between human and non-human voices.