Tracing the Legitimacy of Artificial Intelligence – A Media Analysis, 1980-2020

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has received ambivalent evaluations, ranging from AI as a great opportunity and solution to crucial problems of our time to AI as a threat to humanity. For AI technologies to diffuse, they need to gain legitimacy. We trace the legitimacy of AI in society from 1980 to 2020. For our analysis, we rely on 2,543 newspaper articles from The New York Times as a reflection of societal discourse over the legitimacy of AI. Using computer-assisted content analysis, we find a sharp increase in media coverage around the mid-2010s. We find the language used in the articles to be predominantly positive and to show little changes over time. Our analysis also uncovers six highly discussed industries in the context of AI.