A Large-Scale, Automated Study of Language Surrounding Artificial Intelligence

Abstract: This work presents a large-scale analysis of AI and ML references within news articles and scientific publications between 2011 and 2019. We implement word association measurements that automatically identify shifts in language co-occurring with AI/ML and quantify the strength of these word associations. Our results highlight the evolution of perceptions and definitions around AI/ML and detect emerging application areas, models, and systems (e.g., blockchain and cybersecurity). Recent small-scale, manual studies have explored AI/ML discourse within the general public, the policymaker community, and researcher community, but are limited in their scalability and longevity. Our methods provide new views into public perceptions and subject-area expert discussions of AI/ML and greatly exceed the explanative power of prior work.