Toward computational social capital: theoretical framework for the analysis of AI integration in volunteering

Abstract

The emergence of artificial intelligence in Third Sector organizational processes raises novel theoretical questions about the nature of social relations in the contemporary volunteer-to. This theoretical essay proposes the concept of “computational social capital” as an analytical category for interpreting the potential transformations of voluntary organizations in the algorithmic age. Through a theoretical elaboration approach that integrates social capital theory with Science and Technology Studies, the article develops a conceptual framework for understanding-re how algorithmic systems might redefine the ways in which relational resources are generated, managed, and distributed in volunteerism. The main contribution consists of the theorization of three constituent dimensions of computational social capital: algorithmic relational density, distributed reputation, and predictive coordination. The elaboration provides a theoretical agenda for future empirical research on socio-technical hybridization processes in the Third Sector.