Virtually Shamans: An Anthropological Perspective on AI Chatbots
Anthropology of Consciousness September 1, 2025 Mark Friis Hau, Jakob Krause‐jensen
ABSTRACT This article explores the emerging relationship between humans and AI chatbots through the anthropological lens of shamanic practice, proposing the concept of “virtually shamans” to understand these digital interactions. Drawing on ethnographic traditions of studying magic, spirituality, and technological mediation, we argue that AI chatbot users occupy a liminal position analogous to...