Humankind is no stranger to technological shifts that reshape social connections. First, we gathered around a fire; then we connected villages on wheels; we printed all the news on paper; and lately we have been “posting” about everything and anything, all over the internet. Now, AI enters the room. But unlike past innovations, AI doesn’t just connect us to each other; it connects with us.

But what kind of relationship is this? A pet, a co-worker, a friend… or even a romantic partner? In this talk, we discuss the importance of understanding the strength of our AI ties. Whether it acts as a "weak tie" (a casual connection that provides new information) or develops into something more substantial, the consequences for our well-being and social network will be vastly different. More importantly, we must ask: once AI enters the room, does anyone leave? Does AI’s arrival into our daily lives push human connections aside or create space for new ones?

To answer these questions, we must map AI’s role in our social networks and measure its long-term impacts. This task requires a blend of empirical data and computational methods from many disciplines, which is why this talk is also an invitation to think together. One thing is clear: AI is already a tie in our social network. The question is how we tame its role for the benefit of humanity.

Programme