The Impact of New Media and Artificial Intelligence on Family And Community

Abstract

Artificial intelligence and new media are reshaping the human relationship to knowledge, communication, and identity in ways that exceed any prior technological transition, constituting a civilizational shift rather than a passing technical development. This paper examines that shift through a foundational paradox: while contemporary technology possesses an unprecedented capacity to generate and disseminate knowledge, the ethical question of how such progress may be placed in the service of humanity has remained unchanged since the dawn of civilizations. It argues that the family, historically the primary repository of values and identity, now faces unprecedented pressure within an open digital sphere in which algorithmic platforms and screens compete with educational and familial institutions to shape consciousness, opinion, and behaviour, particularly among children and adolescents who spend an increasing share of their lives online. Against this backdrop, the study advances the Emirati model as an integrative paradigm that couples sustained investment in innovation and artificial intelligence with the consolidation of tolerance, coexistence, and respect for diversity, positioning Abu Dhabi as a global platform for constructive dialogue and a bridge between cultures. It concludes that safeguarding the family and reinforcing social cohesion in the digital age require a global humanistic discourse and an international partnership uniting governments, educational and media institutions, technology firms, and civil society toward a more balanced, human-centred digital environment, affirming that genuine progress is measured not by the tools societies invent but by the values they preserve.