A new sociology of humans and machines

Tsvetkova, Milena ORCID: 0000-0002-3552-108X, Yasseri, Taha, Pescetelli, Niccolo and Werner, Tobias (2024) A new sociology of humans and machines. Nature Human Behaviour, 8 (10). 1864 - 1876. ISSN 2397-3374

Text (Tsvetkova et al_2024_New sociology of humans and machines) - Accepted Version Repository staff only until 22 April 2025. Download (307kB)

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Abstract

From fake social media accounts and generative artificial intelligence chatbots to trading algorithms and self-driving vehicles, robots, bots and algorithms are proliferating and permeating our communication channels, social interactions, economic transactions and transportation arteries. Networks of multiple interdependent and interacting humans and intelligent machines constitute complex social systems for which the collective outcomes cannot be deduced from either human or machine behaviour alone. Under this paradigm, we review recent research and identify general dynamics and patterns in situations of competition, coordination, cooperation, contagion and collective decision-making, with context-rich examples from high-frequency trading markets, a social media platform, an open collaboration community and a discussion forum. To ensure more robust and resilient human–machine communities, we require a new sociology of humans and machines. Researchers should study these communities using complex system methods; engineers should explicitly design artificial intelligence for human–machine and machine–machine interactions; and regulators should govern the ecological diversity and social co-development of humans and machines.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 2024 Springer Nature Limited
Divisions:	Methodology
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HM Sociology H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Date Deposited:	05 Nov 2024 11:39
Last Modified:	12 Nov 2024 17:42
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/125951

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