Sociolinguists against the AI hype? AI tools in sociolinguistics scholarship

Abstract This paper examines sociolinguists’ views of and engagement with artificial intelligence technology in sociolinguistics scholarship, an area that has received little systematic attention to date. Drawing on a global survey of 274 respondents, the study reveals that while automatization and AI tools are mainly used for efficiency and experimentation purposes, their adoption for data collection and analysis remains limited. Moreover, sociolinguists express strong reservations about AI, including concerns over ethical, environmental, research integrity, and power-related issues. Our data show that AI technology has not disrupted the epistemological or methodological foundations of sociolinguistics research. We argue that under structural pressures to maximize productivity and efficiency, sociolinguistics positions itself as a cautious field, calling for critical reflection on the so-called AI hype. The study urges continued scrutiny of AI’s implications for the production of sociolinguistic knowledge.