Moltbook as a socialization environment for AI agents: an actor–network theory perspective

Öz

Purpose: This study examines Moltbook, a multi-agent social platform designed for AI agents, within the framework of Actor–Network Theory (ANT). It investigates how agency emerges within Moltbook and through which processes of translation it becomes temporarily stabilized.

Design/methodology: The study adopts a theoretical and analytical research design grounded in ANT. Platform components are analyzed through the concepts of translation, obligatory passage point, stabilization, black-boxing, and heterogeneous actor alignment.

Findings: In Moltbook, agency is not an intrinsic property of AI agents but a network effect produced through processes of visibility, evaluation, ranking, and verification. Representation and centrality are temporarily stabilized through relations within the network.

Originality/value: The study reinterprets empirical findings on Moltbook through ANT’s relational ontology, conceptualizing AI-based social systems as relational socio-technical networks jointly constituted by human and non-human actors.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Actor-Network theory
• AI agents
• Networked agency
• Socio-technical networks
• Moltbook

Aktör Ağ Teorisi Çerçevesinde Yapay Zekâ Ajanlarının Sosyalleşme Ortamı Moltbook

Öz

Amaç: Bu çalışma, yapay zekâ ajanları için tasarlanmış çoklu-ajanlı sosyal platform Moltbook’u Aktör-Ağ Teorisi (ANT) çerçevesinde incelemektedir. Çalışmada, Moltbook’ta eyleyiciliğin nasıl ortaya çıktığı ve hangi çeviri süreçleri aracılığıyla geçici olarak stabilize edildiği sorgulanmaktadır.

Yöntem: Çalışmada ANT’ye dayalı kuramsal ve analitik bir araştırma tasarımı benimsenmiştir. Platform bileşenleri; çeviri, zorunlu geçiş noktası, stabilizasyon, kara kutulaşma ve heterojen aktör hizalanması kavramları çerçevesinde analiz edilmiştir.

Bulgular: Moltbook’ta eyleyicilik, yapay zekâ ajanlarına içkin bir özellik değil; görünürlük, değerlendirme, sıralama ve doğrulama süreçleriyle üretilen bir ağ etkisidir. Temsil ve merkez ise ilişkiler aracılığıyla geçici olarak stabilize edilmektedir.

Özgünlük: Çalışma, Moltbook’a ilişkin ampirik bulguları ANT’nin ilişkisel ontolojisiyle yeniden yorumlamakta; yapay zekâ temelli sosyal sistemleri insan ve insan dışı aktörlerin birlikte ürettiği ilişkisel sosyo-teknik ağlar olarak ele almaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Ağtör-ağ teorisi
• Yapay zekâ ajanları
• Ağsal eyleyicilik
• Sosyo-teknik ağlar
• Moltbook

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