Embodiment, artificial intelligence, and digital emotions: a sociological perspective

This contribution analyzes how digital embodiment, mediated by avatars and immersive devices, transforms emotional experience in virtual contexts and in the metaverse. Emotions such as empathy, love, anger, and fear are not merely transposed online; rather, they undergo a process of reconfiguration through the mechanisms of virtualization, technological mediation, and cultural hybridization. At the core of this inquiry lies the notion of embodiment, which is conceived not solely as a bodily transposition into a digital body, but also as a profound restructuring of the self within technologically mediated spaces. Avatars function as extensions and transformations of identity, thereby opening up new forms of emotional co-construction and distributed memory. The advent of technological tools, such as haptic feedback and artificial intelligence, has further augmented these dynamics, modulating affective responses and engendering conditions of emotional embodiment that serve to obfuscate the boundaries between physical and virtual existence. The work also underscores the ambivalence of the digitization of emotions. Immersive environments have the potential to facilitate unprecedented opportunities for empathy, intimacy and collective interaction. However, they also present risks of commodification, alienation and emotional fragmentation. The confluence of embodiment and artificial intelligence gives rise to significant sociological inquiries, particularly concerning the role of "digital emotions" in shaping societal norms and collective imaginaries. This contribution offers a broader reflection on the transformation of social life in the age of virtualization by placing digital embodiment within the sociology of emotions. The analysis indicates that emotions in digital environments are not merely residual or marginal elements, but rather, they are foundational components of the manner in which individuals inhabit, negotiate, and interpret technologically mediated worlds. The paper puts forth a critical agenda for the sociology of emotions, underscoring the notion of digital embodiment as a pivotal nexus where the politics of sensitivity and cultural practices intersect.