Revista de Estudios Sociales

rev. estud. soc. | eISSN 1900-5180 | ISSN 0123-885X

Toward Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence: Contributions from the Social Sciences

No. 93 (2025-07-25)
  • Andrés Páez
    Universidad de los Andes, Colombia
    ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4602-7490
  • Juan David Gutiérrez
    Universidad de los Andes, Colombia
    ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7783-4850
  • Diana Acosta-Navas
    Loyola University Chicago, United States
    ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5351-5820
https://doi.org/10.7440/res93.2025.01

Abstract

 This introduction to the Revista de Estudios Sociales dossier, which explores the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and the social sciences, is based on the idea that the social sciences are not only crucial for analyzing and understanding the major changes AI has brought to human life, but also—more fundamentally—for guiding the future development of AI in ways that support human well-being and individual growth. Ensuring that AI systems are designed, developed, used, and evaluated with a human-centered focus requires the conceptual frameworks, empirical data, and community-based expertise that the social sciences offer. Human-centered AI—aligned with human values and interests—depends on these contributions to take shape. This introduction highlights three key areas where we believe the social sciences can provide meaningful guidance for the future direction of AI. First, we examine how AI is reshaping interpersonal relationships—transforming how people communicate, form bonds, construct identities, cooperate, and manage conflict. Second, we consider the impact of AI on social equality. Because models are often trained on historical data, they risk reproducing the inequalities and biases embedded in that data, which can lead to outcomes that disadvantage marginalized groups. Finally, we explore how the development and application of AI influence political regimes, policy-making, bureaucracy, and the role of the state.

Keywords: AI and democracy, algorithmic discrimination, interpersonal relationships, machine learning algorithms, use of AI in the social sciences

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