Cultural Technological Synergy in the Age of AI: A Conceptual Framework for Understanding Adaptive Modernization in Transitional Societies

Abstract

This paper introduces the Cultural–Technological Synergy (CTS) framework, which rests on four established conceptual principles: (1) shared cultural values shape the behavior of individuals and institutions; (2) new technologies diffuse through social learning and demonstrable benefits; (3) durable systems depend on public legitimacy and consent; and (4) effective cross-institutional coordination is essential for scaling pilots into operational infrastructure. Drawing on these principles, CTS elucidates how cultural dynamics influence the capacity, incentives, and legitimacy required for artificial intelligence (AI) to evolve from experimental applications into essential public infrastructure. While recognizing economic, technological, infrastructural, and governance drivers, CTS adds cultural, societal, and psychological dimensions—operationalized through norms, values, identities, and risk perceptions—to be measured and compared on equal footing.

CTS defines four interacting dimensions—heritage adaptability, cross-civilizational competence, innovation ethos, and strategic determination—that shape the progression from pilots and sectoral deployments to public infrastructure. These dimensions interface directly with the companion frameworks (Ibrahimov 2025): AIPI (AI as Public Infrastructure), which theorizes when AI attains infrastructural status, and ISI (Infrastructure Status Index), which operationalizes that status.

In diagnostic use, CTS offers a lens for (i) evaluating cultural readiness, (ii) identifying bottlenecks, and (iii) supporting prioritization through analysis of how cultural factors condition capacity, incentives, and legitimacy in transitions to public infrastructure. Positioned at the meso-level, CTS specifies how cultural architectures enable or constrain institutional pathways across successive AIPI–ISI phases. The Azerbaijan case illustrates this logic—explaining ambition formation, legitimacy dynamics, and early coordination gains.

The contribution is twofold: (1) CTS provides a meso-level analytical lens that foregrounds infrastructuralization dynamics and culture–institution interaction beyond simple adoption; and (2) it specifies scope conditions and testable propositions indicating when cultural factors matter more—or less—across AIPI–ISI consolidation phases.