Artificial Intelligence, Human Agency, and Social Trust: Rethinking Social Impact in the Age of Generative Systems

Abstract

The rapid diffusion of artificial intelligence into everyday life has intensified debate not only about efficiency and innovation, but also about the changing relationship between intelligent systems, human agency, and social trust. While much of the existing discussion emphasizes productivity gains, risks, or governance challenges, less attention has been paid to how AI alters ordinary social expectations regarding communication, judgment, authenticity, dependence, and trustworthiness. This article argues that the social impact of AI should be understood through the changing balance between machine capability and human agency in digitally mediated environments. Rather than treating AI as a neutral tool or an autonomous force, the article conceptualizes it as a socially consequential intermediary that influences how people interact with information, with institutions, and increasingly with entities that appear conversational, responsive, and quasi-human. The paper first revisits the historical development of AI as an evolving aspiration to simulate or reproduce intelligent behavior. It then examines how contemporary generative systems reshape perceptions of expertise, interaction, and social presence. Particular attention is given to behavioral similarity, synthetic communication, emotional attachment, and the gradual normalization of AI-mediated judgment in everyday settings. The article further argues that these developments may transform the foundations of social trust by shifting how credibility, authenticity, and agency are recognized. In response, the paper proposes a human agency-centered framework for assessing AI’s social impact, emphasizing interpretive capacity, relational boundaries, and institutional trust safeguards. The article concludes that the long-term societal consequences of AI will depend not only on what intelligent systems can do, but also on whether societies can preserve meaningful human agency and trustworthy social relations in environments increasingly shaped by generative systems.