Exceeding Singularity: A View on the Cognitive Semiotics of Impersonation

This paper explores the cognitive semiotics of impersonation, emphasizing its digital manifestations. Through the lens of the FACETS project, it examines how digital technologies, from generative AI to deepfakes, challenge traditional notions of personhood. Impersonation is analyzed as a semiotic phenomenon, encompassing natural mimicry, human performance, and digital emulation. The study bridges interdisciplinary perspectives, from ethology to AI ethics, highlighting how digital impersonation disrupts the ontological status of individuality. It interrogates whether personhood remains anchored to biological uniqueness or is redefined by technological mediation, ultimately questioning the ethical implications of an era dominated by synthetic and augmented identities.