Abstract
The introduction of the internet and social media has significantly shifted social practices and the foundations of social capital, making people less constrained by time, space, and close-knit communities for their social interactions. This transformation is evolving further with the growing adoption of social artificial intelligence and socially oriented human-AI interactions. However, little is known about the impact of social AI on the social structures of society, and there is a lack of conceptual frameworks to describe this ongoing transformation. This article addresses this gap by introducing the concept of “AI individualism,” building on Wellman’s notion of “networked individualism.” It examines relevant concepts, empirical evidence, technical features, and trends within social AI. Networked individualism describes an internet-driven shift from traditional group-oriented structures to dispersed, individually focused networks, where people can tailor their own social support and access more novel and varied information from these networks. AI individualism predicts a further transformation, where people become less dependent on human interactions, relying more on social AI for tailored information, relational experiences, practical help, and emotional support. This shift may change social structures by enhancing individual control over social support and fundamentally altering human interaction, connectivity, and social capital. As people increasingly turn to social AI for support and interaction, social connections may become more individualized and less community-based. A key takeaway is that while networked individualism is seen as reducing the importance of strong ties, AI individualism may potentially reduce the importance of weak ties as these may in part be substituted by social AI. The conceptualization of AI individualism, outlined in this article, can provide a framework for future research to understand the social implications of social AI.