Functional Dependence on Artificial Intelligence: A Comparative Case Study of Users in Costa Rica and El Salvador
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5377/ryr.v1i62.21734Keywords:
artificial intelligence, AI dependence, AI ethics, technological appropriation, Central AmericaAbstract
This article examines the appropriation, functional dependence, and ethical evaluation of artificial intelligence (AI) use in the everyday communicative practices of users in Costa Rica and El Salvador. The study is grounded in the understanding that AI technologies are not neutral but rather act as active mediators in the construction of reality and social interaction. To interpret this dynamic, perspectives from several communication theories—such as technological mediation, the spiral of silence, echo chambers, and framing—are integrated, providing conceptual tools to analyze the interaction between users and AI. Employing a mixed-methods approach, surveys were administered to professionals in training and in active employment in both countries. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to capture the complexity of this phenomenon. The findings indicate a growing functional dependence, although it is not always explicitly acknowledged by users. The study also reveals a clear awareness of AI’s multiple benefits while highlighting relevant ethical concerns related to the authenticity of information, the spread of misinformation, and the risks associated with symbolic automation. The comparative analysis between Costa Rica and El Salvador reveals convergent patterns in the use and perception of AI, with subtle differences shaped by disparities in access and by the level of technological training available in each country.
Downloads
33
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
© Universidad Francisco Gavidia
Instituto de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (ICTI)
Reality and Reflection
The content and opinions expressed in the publication are the responsibility of the authors of the published articles. The authors assign the publishing and publishing rights, in printed and digital version, to the Universidad Francisco Gavidia.
Proof of originality and assignment of publication rights
The authors must sign a certificate in which they indicate that the text presented for publication is original, unpublished and that it has not been sent for review in another academic publication; In turn, the authors assign the rights of publication and publication to Francisco Gavidia University. The format of this record will be sent through the emails: editores@ufg.edu.sv and jlozano@ufg.edu.sv
The journal Reality and Reflection is housed in the institutional dissemination platforms (web page and in the repository), as well as in databases and other pages of scientific dissemination. The publications of the Francisco Gavidia University are subject to the Salvadoran copyright law, contemplated in the Intellectual Property Law https://www.asamblea.gob.sv/
The content of the work is the sole responsibility of the author, therefore, if for any reason or reason, direct or indirect, the Editor is obliged to pay any compensation to a third party derived from the work of the author, whether it is established in a transaction, agreement or final or enforceable judicial sentence, the Editor may repeat against the Author for the total amount of compensation, plus adjustments, interests and costs that correspond.
It will be the obligation of the UFG to grant five copies of the publication which will be delivered at the UFG Editores headquarters in San Salvador.
