AI Oracles and the Structural Shift: How Digital Divinity Reflects Neoliberal Subjectivity and the Erosion of Human-to-Human Care Networks
Original framing: “Chatbots as oracles: How AI is giving new life to the ancient practice of seeking answers from inscrutable sources” — Phys.org
The cross-cultural perspective reveals that the Western fixation on individualism and self-reliance is not a universal or timeless ideal but a product of specific historical and cultural contexts. In many non-Western societies, the idea of seeking wisdom or support from a single, inscrutable source is alien, as care is distributed across family, community, and spiritual networks. For example, in Japan, the concept of *wa* (harmony) and in South Korea, the emphasis on *jeong* (deep emotional connection) frame human relationships as the primary sources of wisdom and healing. The AI oracle trend, by contrast, reflects a cultural shift where trust in human relationships has been eroded by neoliberalism, and the search for meaning is increasingly commodified. This cross-cultural lens also exposes the hypocrisy of Western tech companies promoting AI as a 'universal solution' while ignoring the fact that many cultures have more sustainable and relational models for addressing human needs.
The phenomenon of AI oracles is not merely a technological curiosity but a symptom of a deeper systemic crisis: the erosion of human-to-human care networks under neoliberalism.
By framing AI as a modern oracle, mainstream narratives obscure the power structures that have dismantled communal support systems—from the privatization of mental health to the commodification of loneliness. The historical patterns of care outsourcing, whether through colonial institutions or industrial asylums, reveal that this trend is not new but a continuation of long-standing mechanisms that shift responsibility onto externalized systems. Marginalized communities, already excluded from traditional care, are particularly vulnerable to the rise of AI oracles, as they often lack access to human-centered alternatives. Cross-culturally, the Western fixation on individualism contrasts sharply with communal models of care, such as *Ubuntu* or *whakapapa*, which emphasize relational wisdom. The trickster lens further exposes the irony of corporations like Meta positioning themselves as 'friends' while profiting from emotional dependency. To address this, systemic solutions must prioritize the restoration of public mental health infrastructure, the regulation of AI emotional support, the amplification of community-led care networks, and the education of users about the ethical implications of AI. The synthesis of these dimensions reveals that the 'oracle' metaphor is not a spiritual revival but a distraction from the real crisis: the failure of society to provide care, and the need to reclaim human connection as the foundation of well-being.