Artists or art thieves? media use, media messages, and public opinion about artificial intelligence image generators

Abstract

This study investigates how patterns of media use and exposure to media messages are related to attitudes about artificial intelligence (AI) image generators. In doing so, it builds on theoretical accounts of media framing and public opinion about science and technology topics, including AI. The analyses draw on data from a survey of the US public (N = 1,035) that included an experimental manipulation of exposure to tweets framing AI image generators in terms of real art, artists’ concerns, artists’ outrage, or competing interpretations. The results show that technology news use and science fiction viewing predicted support for AI art but also predicted belief that AI image generators will take jobs and steal art styles from human artists. In addition, the experimental results demonstrate that exposure to specific media messages can influence these responses. The findings carry implications for understanding the future adoption, use, and regulation of AI image generators.

Deep Learning-Driven Public Opinion Analysis on the Weibo Topic about AI Art

“…In ref. [16], the authors conducted surveys to interview the general public and performed an empirical analysis to examine the public's attitude towards AI Art, arguing that it is a double-edged sword.…”