ChatGPT in the public eye: Ethical principles and generative concerns in social media discussions

Abstract

With ChatGPT’s rapid adoption, concerns regarding generative artificial intelligence (AI) have shifted from theoretical to practical. Drawing upon the “algorithmic imaginary” framework from critical algorithm studies and the anthropological concept of “ordinary ethics,” we analyzed Twitter discourse during ChatGPT’s initial deployment, examining 368,359 tweets. Our analysis identified five topics reflecting functional and critical aspects of ChatGPT. We specifically point to two topics with a critical perspective: “Ethics” and “Concerns.” The first aligns with scholarly discussions in AI ethics on fairness and transparency, while the second focuses on ChatGPT’s generative capabilities. This highlights an emerging trend: While the academic discussion on AI ethics has gained popularity, especially in scrutinizing ChatGPT, the conversation is now expanding to more nuanced ethical deliberations. We analyzed the posts’ engagement and sentiment over time, demonstrating the AI ethics community’s influence in addressing the potential and harms of generative AI systems.