With the advancement of technology, artificial intelligence is no longer just analyzing data; it knows how people think, how they make decisions, and even how they will react in certain situations. This has led to an increasing questioning of individual free will. However, the real threat is not the AI itself. The real issue is who controls this information and how it is used.

Burak Yaka, an Electrical and Electronics Engineer, assesses how AI understands human psychology and how it uses this knowledge to guide individuals. According to him, people may unknowingly live in a world shaped by algorithms.

7 Major Forces That Guide Us

People’s decision-making processes are influenced by certain factors. These factors used to be intuitively predictable, but today, thanks to AI, they have become fully known.

Analysis of Emotional States

AI analyzes individuals’ moods by examining social media posts, messages, and facial expressions. It knows how we will react when we are stressed, happy, or anxious, and this information is used to determine the timing of the content presented to us.

Individual Traits and Personal Data

Genetic heritage, childhood traumas, and personal habits are some of the most important factors that determine how an individual will make decisions. AI analyzes an individual’s past experiences and tendencies to predict which products they will purchase and what content they will be interested in.

The Impact of Social Environment

People cannot think independently of their environment. AI can shape an individual’s social environment by analyzing who they follow and who they interact with more frequently. People with a certain mindset may be surrounded by similar thoughts, leading them further away from alternative perspectives.

Demographic Factors and the Guidance Mechanism

Age, gender, education level, and geographical location are key factors that determine how individuals will respond to certain events. AI uses this data to create personalized content, news, and advertisements. During election periods, campaigns and messages tailored to specific groups can even influence voting behaviors.

Cognitive Biases and Algorithmic Filters

People tend to show more interest in information that supports their beliefs and ideas. AI takes advantage of this tendency by offering personalized content and filtering the information flow, ensuring individuals stay within a specific frame of reference. This way, individuals are exposed only to news that supports their beliefs and become less open to different views.

Guidance in Global Events and Crisis Situations

Major events such as economic crises, pandemics, and natural disasters influence decision-making processes. AI knows how people will react during these events and determines which information should be spread during crises to guide the masses.

The Impact of Physiological States

Physiological conditions such as hunger, fatigue, and stress significantly affect decision-making. AI can track individuals’ physical conditions through smartwatches and health apps and adjust content accordingly.

The Problem Is Not AI, But Who Uses It

Burak Yaka emphasizes that the real issue is not AI guiding people, but who holds this power.

Today, AI knows individuals’ moods, decisions, and tendencies. In the future, it will direct how societies behave using this information. If this power remains in the hands of a few elites, societies can be manipulated unknowingly. However, if access to data becomes democratized and individuals are able to protect their digital rights, this balance could shift.

Free will or a world governed by algorithms? The future will be shaped by the answer to this question.