On our way with AI! The impact of AI and ubiquitous computing in the establishment of daily mobility: the case of GPS apps

By Patricia Sajous
English

AI (artificial intelligence) is an ever-growing presence in our daily lives. How can this be taken into account in social science research, especially research into daily mobility? This article looks at the theoretical and methodological frameworks necessary to carry out this study. We develop the notion of the “augmented body” and designate the technical artefacts that enable augmentation as “nonhuman actants” (Callon, 2006). Having established the theoretical framework, we turn to the methodological framework used to identify the driving forces behind augmentation. We then turn our attention to AI-embedded GPS (Global Positioning System) applications that can be accessed on smartphones. We show through an exploratory survey of four applications, conducted in France, how AI is driving change. In the discussion section, we return to the reflexive framework used and the trends identified in our findings.

Keywords

  • daily mobility
  • GPS app
  • machine learning
  • AI
  • body
  • person
  • augmented reality
Go to the article on Cairn-int.info