Artificial Intelligence, Ethics, and Spirituality in the Modern Balinese Society: Challenges and Its Response

Introduction

Bali is the only Hindu mosaic that can still be seen in Southeast Asia. This means that Bali has its own local culture and has received various influences from outside, especially from India and China. In relation to the Indian influence, Hinduism is still evident in Bali until now. In comparison, other countries in Southeast Asia that have received Indian influences, such as Funan and Champa, no longer show their Hindu identities. Similarly, the influence of Chinese culture strengthens the cultural identity of Bali through the acceleration of rituals and the fusion of Hinduism with Chinese cultural influences, as seen in Pura Batur. In other words, it can be said that Bali already had a strong local culture with ethical and spiritual values before the arrival of external religious and cultural influences (Ardhana et al., 2012b and also see: Sri Margana (eds.), 2017).

Throughout its historical journey, it can be said that the influence of Hinduism from India and China has undergone a process of acculturation, where external cultural influences have strengthened the existence of Bali's local culture (Ardhana, 2019b). This is where it is important to observe the uniqueness of Balinese culture and society, which have successfully maintained their cultural identity. The dynamics of the community and culture, based on their identity, have been elevated to the national and international levels, emphasizing values of balance between humans and deities, humans and other humans, and humans and their natural environment (Ardhana, 2014b).

However, this does not mean that Balinese culture and society are always in a state of peace and comfort, even though their way of life may not show visible disruptions in terms of socio-cultural, economic, and even political aspects (Tajfel, Turner, Austin, & Worchel, 1979). For example, the unsettling conditions and discomfort that still traumatically affect the Balinese community due to the communist or PKI uprising in the 1960s, which was associated with religious issues, still leave a mark on the political life of the Balinese society (Ardhana and Wirawan, 2012a). Nevertheless, at least 30 years later, with the advancement of time, the rapid development of social media, especially since the 1990s, has shown widespread use of social media in various fields, not only in socio-cultural and economic aspects but also in a broader political sphere (Sugiarto, 2014, also see: Suryawan, 2021). This is evident in the development of policies, particularly concerning the development of mass tourism policies that continue to evolve (Lin and Atkin, 2022). These circumstances raise fundamental questions about the existence of Balinese society and culture, which have had a strong socio-cultural structure since ancient times (Ardhana and Setiawan (eds.), 2014a). The impact of modernization and globalization, which continue to progress, has the potential to erode the cultural order of the community as a result of these developments.

This demonstrates a dilemma between achieving tourist targets in Bali, which introduces the use of new social media with content that seemingly enriches understanding of democracy, human rights, the importance of gender roles, feminism, tolerance, and solidarity. The increasing number of visits statistically indicates progress, but behind these statistics, concerns arise regarding the preservation of Bali's culture and society, which have their cultural order. The development of tourism, driven by capital, consumerist lifestyles, and the instant thinking demanded by the modern world, has had a negative impact on the social fabric of Balinese life. Traditional customs, which encompass social systems, moral values, and cultural norms, are becoming contaminated due to the development of the tourism industry (Bourchier, 2010).