Rethinking the Relation between Media and Their Audience: The Discursive Construction of the Risk of Artificial Intelligence in the Press of Belgium, France, Portugal, and Spain

Abstract

It is believed that the way in which media speak about emerging technologies can influence the public perception of their benefits and risks. Risk statements highlight the possible negative effects, real or imaginary, that a particular event could have on audiences. Just as journalism varies over space and time, what is considered a risk is deeply rooted in specific social, economic, and technological contexts. This variability implies that journalistic practices are neither universal nor static; instead, they change and adapt according to circumstance. Moreover, technological advances have allowed the press to better understand their audiences and adhere to their demands. In this context, the discursive construction of the risk of artificial intelligence was studied in the press of four European countries: Belgium, Spain, France, and Portugal. In total, 290 texts published in January 2024 were examined. Mentions of “artificial intelligence” were found in the following newspapers: Le Soir, El País, Le Figaro, and Público. Fourteen risk categories and seven groups of voices responsible for their enunciation were identified, with significant variations between the studied newspapers. It was concluded that national contexts make it possible to differentiate the way in which the press communicates the risks associated with artificial intelligence. Although these results do not directly reflect public awareness of the risks in each of these countries, they open a line of research on the possible influences of the progressive monitoring and knowledge of audiences in the construction of the media agenda.