WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AS A SUBJECT OF SOCIOLOGY

I recently participated in an event at the university with several respected intellectuals in their fields, but something that caught my attention was how artificial intelligence and its "world" are not yet strongly present in the academic environment from the perspective of sociology, there are 4, 5 authors but the topic has not yet entered the agenda, the idea of today's article is to summarize where we are in AI and conjecture what will happen next.

The evolution of computing can be understood through a sociological analysis that explores the structural and cultural changes brought about by four main technological revolutions.

First Revolution: The Age of the Turing Computer 

In the 1940s, the creation of the first computer by Alan Turing marked the beginning of the computational age. Turing, one of the most influential mathematicians of the 20th century, developed a machine with the specific purpose of deciphering the Enigma code used by the Nazis during World War II. Turing's contribution can be seen from the perspective of Émile Durkheim's functionalist theory, which sees society as an organism whose parts must work harmoniously to maintain social cohesion. By enabling the decoding of Nazi messages, Turing's machine played a crucial role in the Allied victory, demonstrating how technology can serve collective well-being and the preservation of social order.

Second Revolution: The Rise of Personal Computers 

In the 1970s, the personal computer revolution in Silicon Valley, driven by innovations such as the microchip, democratized technology. The emergence of companies such as Apple and Microsoft symbolized a paradigmatic shift in the way technology was perceived and used. From a Marxist perspective, this transformation can be seen as a restructuring of the relations of production. Karl Marx argued that technology has the power to alter working conditions and class dynamics. Personal computers not only expanded access to technology, but also reconfigured the labor market, enabling individuals to work more independently and create new forms of entrepreneurship.

Third Revolution: The Internet and Global Interconnection

 The third revolution, characterized by the advent of the Internet in the 1990s, transformed global communication. The Internet facilitated instant and accessible communication, redefining social and economic interactions. Pierre Bourdieu, with his concept of social capital, offers a lens through which to understand this transformation. The Internet has greatly expanded individuals’ social capital, enabling the creation and maintenance of vast and diverse social networks, which have profound implications for social mobility and access to opportunities.

Fourth Revolution: The Age of Artificial Intelligence

 The most recent technological revolution is that of artificial intelligence (AI), which is rapidly transforming society. Deep Blue’s victory over Garry Kasparov in 1997 marked a turning point, demonstrating the potential of AI. From a Weberian perspective, this transformation can be seen as an example of the rationalization process described by Max Weber. AI represents the culmination of the quest for efficiency and predictability, central features of rationalization, which permeates all spheres of modern life, from the economy to social interaction.

Social and Cultural Impacts of Technological Revolutions

 These four revolutions have not only changed technology itself, but have also had profound social and cultural impacts. The transformation of social networks through algorithms, for example, illustrates Bourdieu’s theory of symbolic power. Platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have reorganized content in ways that maximize engagement, manipulating users’ habits and perceptions to keep their attention and, consequently, increase the economic value of the platforms.

Artificial Intelligence and the New Social Configuration

  AI, in its diverse applications, from product recommendations to content creation, redefines cultural production and social interactions. Anthony Giddens, with his theory of reflexive modernity, argues that modern technologies introduce new risks and uncertainties, while also providing new levels of control and prediction. AI exemplifies this dialectic, offering both opportunities and challenges, by transforming the way we understand and interact with the world.

Future Perspectives of AI

  Discussions about the future of AI can be framed by Ulrich Beck’s theories of risk society, which propose that modernity is marked by the management of technological risks. Three scenarios emerge: the apocalyptic, where AI could threaten human existence itself; the controlled, where AI is developed with safe protocols that benefit humanity; and the limited, where AI never achieves true consciousness, remaining an advanced tool.

Regardless of the scenario, AI will continue to reconfigure social and economic structures, requiring constant sociological reflection on its implications and on how we can shape its development to promote a more equitable and sustainable society.