Overview

Anthropology and AI explores the complex intersection of artificial intelligence and human society through a diverse collection of anthropological and social scientific perspectives. Artificial intelligence is rapidly accelerating and permeating the everyday lives of people around the world in ways that are full of promise, perils, and potentials. How does anthropology respond to this? This timely volume brings together twelve carefully curated chapters examining AI’s many manifestations—from machine listening and engineers’ philosophies to large language models and conversational agents. Curated with a broad humanistic and social scientific audience in mind but firmly rooted within broader anthropological and STS conversations about humanity and technology, the contributions are situated on a broad spectrum of approaches to artificial intelligence, spanning theoretical, empirical, and applied social scientific research. Anthropology and AI will appeal to students and researchers across anthropology, science and technology studies, digital humanities, and computer science who are interested in critical perspectives on emerging technologies.

Full Product Details

9781032866192

Table of Contents

Reviews

""Anthropology and AI highlights the significance of anthropology for the development of artificial intelligence throughout history. What makes this book so compelling is its theoretical and critical depth along with an emphasis on mutual co-shaping of people and technology. The book demonstrates how anthropologists can impact AI while also asking what the current technological developments mean for the future of anthropology as a discipline. An extraordinary and timely volume that should spark interest among both students and seasoned scholars of anthropology."" - Dr Tanja Ahlin, author of Calling Family: Digital Technologies and the Making of Care Collectives ""Indispensable. This volume is a powerful corrective, proving that anthropology isn't just reacting to AI, but a discipline responsible for shaping and steering it. The chapters and discussions bridge the gap between critical theory we teach and constructive action we need in practice. The editors raise an important call for anthropology to collaborate with the growth of AI, especially during a time when development towards AGI is increasingly distant from social consequences. By reframing our role from sideline critics to ""indispensable architects” of good AI, this book will be essential reading for my students and a welcome validation for my work in the field. A vital, urgent, and necessary collection."" - Prof. Farah Qureshi, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Colby College

""Anthropology and AI highlights the significance of anthropology for the development of artificial intelligence throughout history. What makes this book so compelling is its theoretical and critical depth along with an emphasis on mutual co-shaping of people and technology. The book demonstrates how anthropologists can impact AI while also asking what the current technological developments mean for the future of anthropology as a discipline. An extraordinary and timely volume that should spark interest among both students and seasoned scholars of anthropology."" - Dr Tanja Ahlin, author of Calling Family: Digital Technologies and the Making of Care Collectives

Author Information

Lora Koycheva is founder of Robots, actually! and Assistant Professor at the Chair of Technoscience Studies in Brandenburg Technical University, Germany. Angela K. VandenBroek is Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Texas State University, USA. Matt Artz is the founder of Azimuth Labs and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, USA.

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