
Anthropology and AI
Routledge (Publisher)
1st Edition
Will be published approx. on 19. December 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
276 pages
978-1-032-86619-2 (ISBN)
Description
Anthropology and AI explores the complex intersection of artificial intelligence and human society through a diverse collection of anthropological and social scientific perspectives.
Artificial intelligence is rapidly accelerating and permeating the everyday lives of people around the world in ways that are full of promise, perils, and potentials. How does anthropology respond to this? This timely volume brings together twelve carefully curated chapters examining AI's many manifestations-from machine listening and engineers' philosophies to large language models and conversational agents. Curated with a broad humanistic and social scientific audience in mind but firmly rooted within broader anthropological and STS conversations about humanity and technology, the contributions are situated on a broad spectrum of approaches to artificial intelligence, spanning theoretical, empirical, and applied social scientific research.
Anthropology and AI will appeal to students and researchers across anthropology, science and technology studies, digital humanities, and computer science who are interested in critical perspectives on emerging technologies.
Artificial intelligence is rapidly accelerating and permeating the everyday lives of people around the world in ways that are full of promise, perils, and potentials. How does anthropology respond to this? This timely volume brings together twelve carefully curated chapters examining AI's many manifestations-from machine listening and engineers' philosophies to large language models and conversational agents. Curated with a broad humanistic and social scientific audience in mind but firmly rooted within broader anthropological and STS conversations about humanity and technology, the contributions are situated on a broad spectrum of approaches to artificial intelligence, spanning theoretical, empirical, and applied social scientific research.
Anthropology and AI will appeal to students and researchers across anthropology, science and technology studies, digital humanities, and computer science who are interested in critical perspectives on emerging technologies.
Reviews / Votes
"Anthropology and AI highlights the significance of anthropology for the development of artificial intelligence throughout history. What makes this book so compelling is its theoretical and critical depth along with an emphasis on mutual co-shaping of people and technology. The book demonstrates how anthropologists can impact AI while also asking what the current technological developments mean for the future of anthropology as a discipline. An extraordinary and timely volume that should spark interest among both students and seasoned scholars of anthropology."- Dr Tanja Ahlin, author of Calling Family: Digital Technologies and the Making of Care Collectives
"Indispensable. This volume is a powerful corrective, proving that anthropology isn't just reacting to AI, but a discipline responsible for shaping and steering it. The chapters and discussions bridge the gap between critical theory we teach and constructive action we need in practice. The editors raise an important call for anthropology to collaborate with the growth of AI, especially during a time when development towards AGI is increasingly distant from social consequences. By reframing our role from sideline critics to "indispensable architects" of good AI, this book will be essential reading for my students and a welcome validation for my work in the field. A vital, urgent, and necessary collection."
- Prof. Farah Qureshi, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Colby College
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Postgraduate and Undergraduate Advanced
Illustrations
4 s/w Zeichnungen, 10 s/w Abbildungen, 6 s/w Photographien bzw. Rasterbilder, 1 s/w Tabelle
1 Tables, black and white; 4 Line drawings, black and white; 6 Halftones, black and white; 10 Illustrations, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 15 mm
Weight
379 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-032-86619-2 (9781032866192)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Lora Koycheva | Angela K. VandenBroek | Matt Artz
Anthropology and AI
E-Book
12/2025
1st Edition
Routledge
€55.49
Available for download

Lora Koycheva | Angela K. VandenBroek | Matt Artz
Anthropology and AI
E-Book
12/2025
1st Edition
Routledge
€55.49
Available for download

Lora Koycheva | Angela K. VandenBroek | Matt Artz
Anthropology and AI
Book
approx. 12/2025
1st Edition
Routledge
€211.50
Not yet published
Persons
Lora Koycheva is founder of Robots, actually! and Assistant Professor at the Chair of Technoscience Studies in Brandenburg Technical University, Germany.
Angela K. VandenBroek is Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Texas State University, USA.
Matt Artz is the founder of Azimuth Labs and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, USA.
Angela K. VandenBroek is Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Texas State University, USA.
Matt Artz is the founder of Azimuth Labs and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, USA.
Content
Introduction: An Anthropological History of AI Part I: Contexts & Frameworks 1. A Hinge for Ethnographic Interventions in AI Systems: Interlocking the Past, Present, and Future 2. Co-Becoming with AI: An Anthropological Framework for Equitable Human-AI Systems 3. The Mythical Speech of Artificial Intelligence: The Imaginary of an Autonomous Agency 4. "The Wind Under the Door:" Pareidolia and ChatGPT as a Feared and Welcome Guest Part II: Critical Perspectives 5. The Bullshit Problem: Re-Thinking the Epistemic Stakes of Artificial Intelligence 6. Dissecting Speech: The "Acoustic-Linguistic Divide" in Artificial Intelligence 7. AI-powered Accessibility: Inclusive Co-design and Disability Expertise in AI-Powered Workplace Accessibility Part III: Sociotechnical Interactions 8. Navigating the Uncanny Valley: How Conversation Designers Shape Human-AI Interaction 9. Partners in Conversation 10. From Present Tense to Future (Im)perfect: The Role of Anthropology in the Future of AI Conclusion: Editorial Forum on The Futures of Anthropology and AI