How AI will transform epistemology and praxis of social theory and research

This essay explores the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the field of sociology, analyzing the epistemological, methodological, and ethical implications of this transformation. By employing advanced tools such as assisted hermeneutic comparison and sociological simulations, AI offers unprecedented possibilities for analysing social dynamics, significantly broadening the scope of the discipline. However, these innovations also pose critical challenges. The primary risk is that of algorithmic reductionism, which could transform sociology into a purely technical and predictive science, reducing social complexity to quantifiable variables and neglecting the qualitative and subjective dimensions of human action. Moreover, the automation of sociological processes raises questions about the role of the researcher, who risks being relegated to a technical supervisory role while theoretical production and interpretation are delegated to machines. If not critically managed, this process may lead to a self-referential sociology, incapable of fully grasping the complexity and unpredictability of social phenomena. Finally, the essay examines the ethical implications of these technologies, particularly the risk that algorithmic predictions might contribute to the self-fulfilling prophecy phenomenon, thereby influencing public policies and collective behaviours. Through a critical analysis of AI’s possibilities and limitations, this work emphasizes the need to maintain a balance between the use of advanced technologies and the preservation of the interpretive and critical function that characterizes sociology.