INTRODUCTION

Artificial intelligence (AI) has evolved from science-fiction to reality in mere decades. Now integrated into our daily lives, from phone unlocking to product recommendations, AI shapes our social interactions and consumer behaviors. Students use it for essays, employees meet deadlines with it, and companies leverage it for customer preference analysis. John McCarthy defined AI in 1956 as “the science and engineering of making intelligent machines.” However, its sociological implications extend far beyond technical capabilities, transforming into a phenomenon that fundamentally alters human interaction patterns.

This research explores AI’s sociology, examining how it reshapes social interactions and influences societal structures. Using sociological imagination, we’ll analyze AI through Bandura’s Social Learning Theory and evaluate if it constitutes a Durkheimian Social Fact. We’ll also explore AI’s potential legal personhood, considering both theoretical and practical implications.

THE EMERGENCE OF AI IN SOCIETY AS A SOCIAL FACT

AI’s role in social reality carries significant implications, generating both excitement and anxiety among experts and the general public. Durkheim defined social facts as “any way of acting capable of exerting external constraint over individuals, general across society while having independent existence.” The impact of AI on human relationships, as explored by experts like Sherry Turkle, demonstrates its transformative influence on social interactions and intimacy, aligning with Durkheim’s concept.

AI fits this definition through six characteristics:

1. External to individuals: AI exists independently as collective human effort, comprising algorithms, hardware, and data beyond any individual user
2. Independent of Individual Manifestation: AI systems operate on consistent underlying principles regardless of specific applications
3. Coercive of Individual: AI shapes user behavior through algorithms and automated decisions, influencing perceptions and opportunities
4. Explained by other Social Facts: AI is understood through technology, machinery, and coding as interconnected social facts
5. Experienced through other Social Facts: Individuals encounter AI in education, healthcare, entertainment, and governance
6. Empirically Studied: AI is researched across multiple disciplines, from computer science to sociology

Therefore, AI qualifies as a social fact, with its influence growing as it further integrates into society.

DOES AI PERFORM SOCIAL LEARNING?

Bandura’s Social Learning Theory defines learning as observing, imitating, and modeling others’ behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions. His 1961 Bobo doll experiment demonstrated how individuals learn through observation and imitation. AI demonstrates similar social learning through various mechanisms:

1. Observational Learning: AI mimics human behavior through reinforcement learning, adapting actions based on observed outcomes
2. Collaborative Filtering: AI analyzes group behaviors for individual recommendations, learning from collective preferences
3. Social Network Analysis: AI studies information flow in communities, forming understanding of social trends and behaviors
4. Natural Language Processing: AI learns language patterns and social cues from vast text corpora
5. Human-AI Interaction: AI adapts behavior based on human feedback and corrections

An experiment with ChatGPT showed it could adapt responses to mirror human emotional expression and subjective experiences, demonstrating social learning capabilities.

AI AS A PERSON OF ITS OWN?

The debate over AI’s legal personhood continues from both logical and legal perspectives. Professor Ryan Abbott advocates for AI legal personhood in “The Reasonable Robot” to establish accountability, particularly in cases like autonomous vehicle accidents. The EU’s AI Act represents a new regulatory approach, while Japan maintains a more innovation-friendly stance.

However, experts like Dr. Brandeis Marshall argue it’s premature to grant AI moral consideration or civil rights, emphasizing the need to first protect human civil rights in AI contexts. Legal personhood criteria include:

1. Autonomy and Decision-Making: Debate exists over AI’s true independence versus its role as a human-controlled tool
2. Distinct Legal Existence: Separating AI from creators remains challenging for liability purposes

Currently, these criteria aren’t sufficiently met for AI personhood.

CONCLUSION

This research establishes three key findings:

1. AI qualifies as a Durkheimian social fact through its external constraints and societal influence
2. AI demonstrates capabilities for social learning through various mechanisms
3. AI’s legal personhood remains premature but debatable given current technological limitations

From a sociological perspective, AI proves integral to society’s evolution. At the macro level, it drives technological development and societal transformation; at the micro level, it provides value to individuals like students and workers. Setting aside AI dominance theories, artificial intelligence will increasingly shape society’s development and enhance quality of life through its continued integration into social structures and institutions.

This analysis through sociology’s lens reveals AI as a significant sociological phenomenon with broad theoretical applications and profound societal implications, warranting continued study and consideration.

This article is authored by Samyak Deshpande, who was among Top 40 performers in the Contract Drafting Quiz competition organized by Lets Learn Law.