From Online Media-World Socialization to the AI-Connected SocietyAn Introduction to the Sociology of Communication and the New Challenges of AI

This paper offers a theoretical reflection on the sociology of communication in the age of artificial intelligence and online hyperconnectivity, employing the metaphor of the “sociological cell.” At its core lie the discipline’s fundamental theories, methods, and shared objectives; the cytoplasm presides over the interaction among the various sociological subfields; the outer membrane, semi-permeable, enables communication with adjacent areas of knowledge as well as with society at large. The aim is to address the evolution of the sociology of communication in relation to cultural and technological transformations ̶ spanning from mass society to the current datafied and AI-driven world ̶ and the emergence of phenomena such as the social society, online individualism, and artificial intelligence as a cultural actor operating across Internet platforms. The paper also examines consolidated areas of inquiry ̶ such as socialization, the cultural industry, manipulation, gender, and health ̶ with particular attention to the redefinition of disciplinary boundaries, especially in light of the pervasive presence of AI and online media environments. Through a theoretical-interpretive approach, the use of analytical metaphors, and a transdisciplinary perspective that interweaves classical and contemporary contributions, the sociology of communication is presented as a crucial field for understanding the transformations of the connected society ̶ now increasingly shaped by the triangle of nature, culture, and the artificial.