Co-Becoming with AI: An Anthropological Framework for Equitable Human-AI Systems

This chapter introduces co-becoming theory as a framework for understanding human-AI relationships as processes of perpetual mutual transformation rather than static design challenges to be solved. While Responsible AI and Human-Centered AI frameworks provide valuable foundations for ethical development, they often struggle to address the dynamic, emergent nature of human-AI interactions. Co-becoming recognizes that humans and AI systems exist in continuous states of reciprocal adaptation, where neither progresses toward a fixed end state but rather evolves through ongoing interaction. The chapter illustrates these concepts through a detailed case study of a gamified participatory recommender system in the art market that uses the concept of behavioral capital to create more equitable pathways to visibility. Finally, it presents a co-becoming assessment framework enabling practitioners to systematically evaluate and improve human-AI relationships across diverse applications and contexts.