Artificial Intelligence Through the Lens of Metaphor: Analyzing the EU AIA

Abstract

Unveiling the cognitive patterns that underpin linguistic expressions, conceptual metaphor serves not only as an effective means for speakers to convey their values but also as a crucial tool for listeners to comprehend unfamiliar topics. This study undertakes a corpus-based analysis of conceptual metaphor expressions within the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act. Utilizing a corpus derived from the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act and employing both Conceptual Metaphor Theory and Critical Metaphor Analysis Theory, this research examines metaphors in terms of their types, orientations, and underlying rationales. The study identifies the most-use semantic domains of Journey, Human, War, and Object metaphors, indicating that the overall orientations are characterized by Tool, Dependency, Human, and Risk, reflecting both the aspirations and concerns of humanity. This study addresses a gap in metaphor research regarding the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act, offering valuable insights for policymakers and AI developers in understanding and shaping public perception of AI technologies.