The Role of Digital Technology in the Transformation of Development: A Sociological Reassessment of Development in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Mahnaz Amirpour¹ Zahra Nasiri²

1) Ph.D. in Sociology of Economy and Development, Islamic Azad University, Quchan Branch, Quchan, Iran.
2) Ph.D. in Sociology of Economy and Development, Islamic Azad University, Quchan Branch, Quchan, Iran.

IOI Code : ACEE-ACABDA
Publication : 5th International Conference on Researches in Accounting, Economics, Management & Humanities(meaconf.com)
Abstract :
    The present study aims to conduct a sociological rethinking of the concept of development and to explain the role of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in the transformation of social structures and relations. In terms of purpose, this research is fundamental, and in terms of approach, it is qualitative; using a documentary–library method and an analytical–critical approach, it reviews and synthesizes the theoretical and research literature related to digital technology and development. The findings from the document analysis indicate that digital technologies and artificial intelligence cannot be regarded merely as neutral tools in the development process, because their social effects are shaped by institutional structures, power relations, and unequal patterns of access to resources and opportunities. On the one hand, these technologies provide capacities for expanding access to knowledge, improving decision-making processes, and enhancing human capabilities; on the other hand, in the absence of regulatory mechanisms and equitable policies, they can lead to the reproduction of the digital divide, the concentration of digital capital, and the intensification of algorithmic biases. Moreover, excessive reliance on machine decision-making can challenge the place of human judgment and ethical responsibility in social and developmental processes. Accordingly, the present study proposes a conceptual framework for the sociological rethinking of development, with emphasis on digital humanism, distributive justice, and the expansion of human capabilities. Based on this framework, the realization of equitable and human-centered development in the age of artificial intelligence requires simultaneous attention to the capacities of technology, institutional contexts, and its social consequences.

Keywords : digital technology artificial intelligence sociological rethinking human centered development algorithmic bias digital capital