What does this research mean for the field?

AI technologies are increasingly acting as social catalysts in human connections, necessitating a multidisciplinary research agenda to understand their ethical and relational impacts. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.SYNTHESIS. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.ESTABLISHES_NEW_DIRECTION.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To investigate how AI influences human social connections and relationships through multidisciplinary collaboration.

May 31, 2026

AI as Social Catalyst: Exploring AI's Impact on Human Social Connection

Key Points

To investigate how AI influences human social connections and relationships through multidisciplinary collaboration.
Workshop involving multidisciplinary participants
Use of participatory design methods
Hands-on design activities to explore AI's role in social contexts
Identified challenges in AI-mediated social connections
Discovered opportunities for enhancing human relationships via AI
Synthesized value-driven design choices affecting social interactions

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as large language models and generative AI play a growing role in our social lives. However, our understanding of how AI shapes our social behaviour and relationships with people, technology, and the environment remains limited. This one-day workshop brings together multidisciplinary researchers and designers to explore the emerging roles of AI as a social catalyst in human social connections across diverse social contexts. Using contemporary examples and participatory design methods as a means of inquiry, we invite participants to collaboratively speculate, critique, and reflect on current and future scenarios centred on AI-mediated human--human social connection and AI companionship. Through hands-on design activities, participants will examine how design choices surface values, create boundaries, and produce ethical tensions when AI occupies relational social roles. This workshop will synthesise challenges and opportunities in this space towards building a research agenda on AI-mediated social connection and AI companionship.

AI से पूछें

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