Theories, Systems, and Epistemologies of AI

This erudite book examines how algorithmic systems are reshaping contemporary social institutions and everyday life. Moving away from treating artificial intelligence as a purely technical development, it approaches algorithms as sociotechnical systems embedded in organizations, governance structures, and cultural imaginaries.Drawing upon contributions from scholars across sociology and related disciplines, the book explores how algorithms operate within institutional settings such as governance, labor, education, and communication. Chapters raise important questions about power, inequality, accountability, and social knowledge and also highlight algorithms as components of broader social systems that structure opportunities and constraints. Combining theoretical analysis with empirical studies, the book examines the institutional practices through which algorithms are designed, implemented, and interpreted to situate developments within broader social and institutional transformations. Theories, Systems, and Epistemologies of AI is a valuable resource for students and scholars of sociology, science and technology studies and communication studies for its perspective on understanding algorithms and artificial intelligence as social systems. Policymakers and researchers studying regulation, digital governance, and accountability will also benefit from the insights into how systems shape public institutions and decision processes.