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Trends in Sociology in the Era of Artificial Intelligence: Digital Society, Algorithmic Transformation and Emerging Sociological Paradigms


Authors : Viju V. S.; Dr. Dharminder Singh

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 7 - July


Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/dm8hs4vx

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/mt2e64xc

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26jul628

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Abstract : AI transforms society by changing institutions, economies, and daily life through algorithms, reshaping social relationships, redistributing power, transforming labour, and redefining knowledge. Its rapid rise creates an algorithmic society, influenced by digital systems across behaviour, institutions, and public decision-making. This review examines sociological literature on AI's societal effects, analysing perspectives like Technological Determinism, SCOT, Conflict Theory, and Symbolic Interactionism to understand social change. It synthesises scholarship on digital sociology, computational sociology, platform society, algorithmic governance, surveillance capitalism, datafication, education, labour, inequality, and AI interactions. AI enhances productivity but raises issues such as bias, surveillance, exclusion, job insecurity, concentration of power, and loss of human agency, thereby reproducing inequalities and digital stratification. Sociology evolves, alongside traditional methods, to study digital societies using digital methods. By unifying debates, this study views AI as a multidimensional social institution, highlighting its ethical, political, cultural, and social impacts, and guiding policies on transparency, accountability, social justice, democracy, and human-centred tech.

Keywords : Artificial Intelligence; Digital Sociology; Computational Sociology; Algorithmic Society; Digital Inequality; Surveillance Capitalism; Human Agency.

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AI transforms society by changing institutions, economies, and daily life through algorithms, reshaping social relationships, redistributing power, transforming labour, and redefining knowledge. Its rapid rise creates an algorithmic society, influenced by digital systems across behaviour, institutions, and public decision-making. This review examines sociological literature on AI's societal effects, analysing perspectives like Technological Determinism, SCOT, Conflict Theory, and Symbolic Interactionism to understand social change. It synthesises scholarship on digital sociology, computational sociology, platform society, algorithmic governance, surveillance capitalism, datafication, education, labour, inequality, and AI interactions. AI enhances productivity but raises issues such as bias, surveillance, exclusion, job insecurity, concentration of power, and loss of human agency, thereby reproducing inequalities and digital stratification. Sociology evolves, alongside traditional methods, to study digital societies using digital methods. By unifying debates, this study views AI as a multidimensional social institution, highlighting its ethical, political, cultural, and social impacts, and guiding policies on transparency, accountability, social justice, democracy, and human-centred tech.

Keywords : Artificial Intelligence; Digital Sociology; Computational Sociology; Algorithmic Society; Digital Inequality; Surveillance Capitalism; Human Agency.

Paper Submission Last Date
31 - July - 2026

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