Artificial-intelligence-related drivers of civic engagement: social capital, trust and values, and the mediating role of knowledge sharing

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the relationship between social capital and civic engagement in the absence and presence of knowledge sharing. Design/methodology/approach: The present research takes a positivist and quantitative approach. It applies an experimental methodology. In order to investigate the research conceptual framework empirically, a survey was pre-tested and post-tested. A chatbot experiment was applied to explore the effect of AI on the respondents’ recognition of civic engagement. The chatbot experiment was placed in between the pre and the post tests and it was applied on the sample of the research. The survey was given to a sample of 385 university students and staff members. The returned questionnaires were (68.3%). Findings: The data analysis process guided the researcher to conclude that according to the social capital theory there are two significant components of social capital which are bridging and bonding social capital. In the context of AI, social media is a perfect representation of social capital, as it has many effects on the processes of engagement in the community. In addition, the models of social capital theory are broadly employed in the research in terms of knowledge sharing and social behavior. However, a combination of social capital and social exchange theories should be used to better recognize the integration of knowledge sharing and social media. Further to that the theories in the available related literature are not sufficient to understand the relationship between social capital and civic engagement, in the presence and absence of knowledge sharing, in an environment characterized by AI. Contributions and implications: The current thesis makes four main theoretical contributions: The first contribution assumes that AI can be used to examine the social sciences; especially, to evaluate how knowledge sharing with the help of social science can be effective if used along with technology to improve the society in many ways. The second contribution assumes that technology can be used to develop social capital; especially when technology is integrated. this means that integrating AI into social capital can positively change social capital positively. The third contribution in assumes that civic engagement when integrating AI into civic engagement as in the experiment, civic engagement shows compliance with AI. This means the willingness to use AI was increased, this also means there is more trust in AI. AI no is never against the values of the social capital since it can bring prosperity to humanity. The fourth contribution assumes that knowledge sharing impacts social capital directly. It is vital to use the proper knowledge sharing tools to let the community participate in the process of learning and development of the AI technology and overcome the technology disengagement. The findings of the research are applicable for the civic engagement sector in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the other countries with similar characteristics. The findings of the research can be applied to enhance participation in civic engagement domain. This is because government shows how social media can lead to greater participation through the benefits of knowledge sharing. The findings of the research can provide incentives for users who are students or citizens to participate in civic engagement practices. Recommendations: Future research is required that can correlate social capital and leadership in the government and private sectors in the Kingdom of Bahrain. An assessment should be made of the relationship between knowledge sharing and quality of performance in different types of organization in Bahrain.