Editing Science and technology studies (section)

=== Sociotechnical systems theory ===
{{Main|Sociotechnical system}}

Social technical systems are an interplay between technologies and humans, this is clearly expressed in the [[Sociotechnical system|sociotechnical systems theory]]. To expound on this interplay, humans fulfill and define tasks, then humans in companies use IT and IT supports people, and finally, IT processes tasks and new IT generates new tasks. This IT redefines work practices. This is what we call the sociotechnical systems.<ref name=":7">{{Cite book|last=Trist|first=E. L.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/8005595|title=The evolution of socio-technical systems : a conceptual framework and an action research program|date=1981|publisher=Ontario Ministry of Labour, Ontario Quality of Working Life Centre|isbn=0-7743-6286-3|location=Toronto|oclc=8005595}}</ref> In socio-technical systems, there are two principles to internalize, that is joint optimization and complementarity. Joint optimization puts an emphasis on developing both systems in parallel and it is only in the interaction of both systems that the success of an organization arises.<ref name=":7" /> The principle of complementarity means that both systems have to be optimized.<ref name=":7" /> If you focus on one system and have bias over the other it will likely lead to the failure of the organization or jeopardize the success of a system. Although the above socio-technical system theory is focused on an organization, it is undoubtedly imperative to correlate this theory and its principles to society today and in science and technology studies.

According to Barley and Bailey, there is a  tendency for AI designers and scholars of design studies to privilege the technical over the social, focusing more on taking "humans out of the loop" paradigm than the "augmented intelligence" paradigm.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Bailey|first1=Diane E.|last2=Barley|first2=Stephen R.|date=2020|title=Beyond design and use: How scholars should study intelligent technologies|url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S147177271830232X|journal=Information and Organization|language=en|volume=30|issue=2|pages=100286|doi=10.1016/j.infoandorg.2019.100286|s2cid=214187921 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

Recent work on [[artificial intelligence]] considers large sociotechnical systems, such as [[social network]]s and [[online marketplace]]s, as agents whose behavior can be purposeful and adaptive. The behavior of [[recommender system]]s can therefore be analyzed in the language and framework of sociotechnical systems, leading also to a new perspective for their legal regulation.<ref name=socialmachine1>{{cite journal |last1=Cristianini |first1=Nello |last2=Scantamburlo |first2=Teresa|last3=Ladyman |first3=James |title=The social turn of artificial intelligence |journal=AI & Society |date=4 October 2021 |volume=38 |pages=89–96 |doi=10.1007/s00146-021-01289-8 |s2cid=244180663 |url=https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00146-021-01289-8.pdf}}</ref><ref name=socialmachine>{{cite journal |last1=Cristianini |first1=Nello |last2=Scantamburlo |first2=Teresa |title=On social machines for algorithmic regulation |journal=AI & Society |date=8 October 2019 |volume=35 |issue=3 |pages=645–662 |doi=10.1007/s00146-019-00917-8 |arxiv=1904.13316 |bibcode=2019arXiv190413316C |s2cid=140233845 |language=en |issn=1435-5655}}</ref>