The Era of Large Models: Human-like Attributes and Social Implications of Generative Artificial Intelligence

Generative AI has exhibited a range of human-like attributes.Through its broad applicability,powerful content-generation capabilities,intuitive modes of interaction,and strong adaptability,it is driving a new wave of technological transformation.These characteristics enable generative AI to simulate human perspectives,cognitive processes,and emotional expressions within specific contexts,thereby exerting extensive and profound influences on social structures and patterns of social relations.This article systematically reviews key findings and core perspectives in recent digital sociology research on the social implications of generative AI.Grounded in an examination of the human-like attributes of large models,it provides an in-depth analysis of their potential impacts across three critical domains: reshaping economic paradigms and labor markets,reconfiguring political power,and transforming cultural production and social relations.While generative AI offers unprecedented opportunities for social development,it simultaneously gives rise to complex economic,political,and socio-ethical challenges,underscoring the urgent need for interdisciplinary dialogue and rigorous empirical research.