Exploring the Intersection of the Digital Divide and Artificial Intelligence: A Hermeneutic Literature Review

Given the rapid advancements in information communication technology (ICT), researchers and practitioners need to understand the impact that emerging phenomena, such as artificial intelligence (AI), have on existing social and economic challenges. We conducted a hermeneutic literature review to present the current state of the digital divide, developments in AI, and AI’s potential impact on the digital divide. We propose three theoretical framings: 1) conceptualizing the divide, 2) modeling the divide, and 3) analyzing the divide. These framings synthesize the digital divide’s essence in relation to AI and provide the foundation for a socio-technical research agenda for the digital divide in light of the evolving phenomena of AI.