Disappointment or hype? Framing artificial intelligence in the US elite news media

Vicsek, Lilla Mária ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6034-7503, Fehér, Katalin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3293-0862 and Nguyen, Dennis ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6982-775X (2026) Disappointment or hype? Framing artificial intelligence in the US elite news media. Global Media and Communication . DOI 10.1177/17427665251411490

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1177/17427665251411490

Abstract

How do elite US news outlets frame AI within accounts of hype, disappointment and tempered expectation? This study finds that rather than fueling hype, coverage tends to adopt a cautious tone – emphasizing everyday uses and current impacts over speculative futures. A content analysis of three high-profile US dailies shows more positive tones when only developers or vendors discuss their own AI tools. The findings underscore journalists’ important role in contextualizing and balancing biased narratives and will be a valuable contribution for academics, journalists and policymakers seeking to understand hype, disappointment and expectation dynamics in technology discourse and their broader social implications.

Item Type:

Article

Uncontrolled Keywords:

hype; framing; Disappointment; sociology of expectations; News media; Artificial Intelligence;

Divisions:

Institute of Social and Political Sciences

Subjects:

Automatizálás, gépesítés
Media and communication
Sociology
Computer science

Funders:

National Research, Development and Innovation Fund

Projects:

‘Sociology of AI Expectations: Visions about the Roles of AI in Society and in the Labor Market’ (No. K 142207)