Date of Award

2023

Document Type

Honors

Degree Name

General Beadle Honors Program

First Advisor

William Sewell

Abstract

Science fiction has influenced many aspects of society, most notably impacting the field of technology since the mid-1900s. For many years, this genre has prompted researchers to explore new ideas and research different areas of technology. However, the fast-paced advancement of the technological industry has caused many misconceptions to emerge regarding new technology. In addition, the use of sci-fi media may further exacerbate public misconceptions since this media may not contain factual information regarding current technology. One subsection of the technological field, Artificial Intelligence (AI), is particularly subjected to misconceptions due to this disconnect between facts and media. Some scholars have traced these misconceptions back to sci-fi media. Thus, some hypothesize that sci-fi media may negatively impact the public’s thoughts on AI research due to the fictitious, hyperbolic nature of this genre. Although the AI field is well-documented, few scholarly studies have analyzed the source of the public’s perception of AI, nor have they determined if sci-fi media is a potential source for these perceptions. This paper seeks to determine whether an influential connection exists between sci-fi media and public perceptions of AI, and to identify whether this impact is positive or negative. This paper will open with an analysis of existing literature regarding the connection between general and sci-fi media and public perceptions, as well as discuss the common misconceptions concerning AI. The following section will provide a brief definition of AI and will be succeeded by an in-depth analysis of the various factors which may contribute to public perceptions of AI. Next, this paper will conduct a comparative analysis of cultural concerns and sci-fi media throughout history. Ethical concerns are the linking element between sci-fi media and public misconceptions of AI; therefore, the following section will highlight the prominent ethical issues regarding AI and will investigate whether this could have an impact on public perceptions of AI. This paper will conclude with a discussion regarding the impact of sci-fi media on public attitudes towards AI and will determine if this influence is positive or negative.

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