The Sociological Implications of the Advancement of Electronic Sports From the Perspective of Artificial Intelligence

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD student in Sports Management, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

2 Associate Professor of Sports Management, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

10.22034/jsmk.2024.19563

Abstract

The challenge of developing electronic sports in society has always been a topic of discussion. Therefore, the aim of this research is to investigate the societal consequences of eSports development. The research method employed is qualitative, using interviews with 7 AI chatbots (Bard, ChatGPT, Gemini, POAI, GPT-3 Cloud, GPT-4, GPT-4 Bot), selected purposefully. The information gathered was analyzed using thematic analysis, resulting in two main themes (positive and negative outcomes), 16 sub-themes, and 111 core codes. The positive sociological consequences include: promoting social values, enhancing human capital development, strengthening social belonging, improving cognitive skills, reducing discrimination and bias, enhancing national branding, creating job opportunities, and developing socio-economic opportunities. Conversely, the negative sociological consequences encompass: mental and physical health issues, decreased personal and organizational efficiency, socio-economic inequality, cyber addiction, social isolation, increased aggression, and weakening of cultural values.Considering that eSports development has both positive and negative impacts across various sociological domains, policymakers and stakeholders should carefully consider both threat and opportunity aspects. Establishing research and oversight committees is essential to promote the healthy and beneficial development of eSports in society.

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References

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History

  • Receive Date: 24 May 2024
  • Revise Date: 29 June 2024
  • Accept Date: 04 August 2024

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