Artificial intelligence (AI) has evolved from specialized technical domains to today’s pervasive sociotechnical phenomenon, creating a transformative force that is reshaping the lived experience while challenging anthropology to maintain its relevance and adapt. This chapter introduces AI Anthropology as an emerging subfield that addresses this challenge through three dimensions: examining AI as a cultural artifact, leveraging AI-driven computational methods for research, and embedding anthropological insights into AI design. Through a review of anthropological literature on AI and a case study of entrepreneurial responses to generative AI (GenAI), the chapter illustrates how anthropologists can actively shape technological trajectories rather than merely critique them. Further, it argues that as technological change and academic precarity intersect, AI Anthropology offers a practical framework for maintaining relevance, fostering new professional pathways, and guiding AI development in ways that respect human diversity and dignity.
Citation
Artz, Matt. 2026. “AI Anthropology: The Future of Applied Anthropological Practice.” In Routledge Handbook of Applied Anthropology, edited by Christina Wasson, Edward B. Liebow, Karine L. Narahara, Hsain Ilahiane, and Alaka Wali. New York: Routledge.
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