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A new journal article by a researcher at the University of Manchester offers insight into how artificial intelligence (AI) is portrayed in leading newspapers worldwide, revealing a more nuanced and critical approach than previously assumed.

New research, co-authored by academics from the University of Manchester and the University of Groningen, adds nuance to the idea that journalists have hyped AI technologies. Examining AI coverage in (U.S.), (The Netherlands), and (Brazil) between June 2020 and September 2023.

The analysis, in the journal Digital Journalism, found that, although fascination with systems like ChatGPT was evident, the reporting often reflected deeper tensions and uncertainties about AI's future.

Instead of merely amplifying hype, the study highlights a recurring discourse of "open-ended technological inevitability," according to which AI's impact is unavoidable, though its course remains uncertain. Across all three newspapers, research revealed that ongoing power struggles among governments, corporations, experts, and citizens indicate that AI is not just a technological issue, but a political and social one.

The researchers argue that this complex media landscape may influence how AI is regulated and understood by the public, providing caution against oversimplifying journalistic coverage as mere hype.

The study introduces the concept of "mediated technological drama" as an alternative framework, explaining how media shapes public understanding of emerging technologies. Using theatrical metaphors, it suggests that journalists not only report on AI but also become engaged actors in the stories they tell.

For instance, a common theme across all three newspapers was comparing AI to nuclear weapons or climate impacts. These examples demonstrate the drama in action and how existential fears about AI are depicted. This multi-actor perspective is crucial for critically examining the politics behind the portrayal of emerging technologies.

The findings offer fresh insight for policymakers and media professionals seeking to navigate the evolving discourse around AI. As global conversations about regulation and ethics intensify, the role of journalism in shaping public understanding has never been more poignant.

Dr. Jo茫o C. Magalh茫es, Senior Lecturer in AI Trust and Security, said, "While our research pushes back against the common claim that journalism has systematically hyped artificial intelligence, it doesn't exactly let journalists off the hook. By presenting AI as something inevitable, journalists have ended up serving the interests of Big Tech.

"Sure, these companies do have the power to push AI into our lives in ways that are hard to avoid. But that doesn't justify newspapers' approach. Journalists could have, and arguably should have, given more space to the voices that have long been calling for radical resistance to how these technologies are being rolled out and developed."