Analysis a Critical Discourse Analysis of the Representation of Artificial Intelligence in Online Media and its Impact on Public Perception

Abstract

The rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in digital spaces has reshaped the landscape of information production and consumption, particularly through online media that actively represent this technology in diverse narratives. These representations not only convey technical information but also shape how the public understands, experiences, and responds to the presence of AI in everyday life. This study aims to analyze how AI representations in online media influence public perception using a qualitative approach with an interpretative phenomenological design. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, limited observation of digital interactions, and analysis of relevant online media documents, involving 8–15 participants who actively engage with digital media in academic and social contexts. Data analysis was conducted using thematic analysis to identify patterns of meaning emerging from participants’ experiences. The findings reveal that public perception of AI is constructed through three main tendencies: expectations of technological convenience and efficiency, anxiety regarding the potential replacement of human roles, and ambivalence characterized by dependency and skepticism toward AI-based information. These results indicate that media discourse plays a significant role in simultaneously shaping emotions, knowledge, and social attitudes toward technology. Theoretically, this study reinforces the Critical Discourse Analysis perspective in understanding the relationship between language, ideology, and subjective experience in digital technological contexts. Practically, the findings contribute to the development of critical digital literacy and offer implications for education and public communication policies in responding to the increasingly pervasive advancement of AI.