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Business Is Changing: Expert and Public Opinion on the Future of Work and Artificial Intelligence Through Social Media Research

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posted on 2021-05-23, 12:20 authored by Ryan A. Cecchini
Big name organizations have proposed that AI will fundamentally transform the future of business by altering the skills that will be required to stay competitive in an epoch where routine- jobs are automated and where workers in less-routine jobs are displaced from burgeoning advancements in AI. When it comes to assessing the impact of hazardous technologies, a growing body of literature suggests that experts and everyday people tend to perceive risks differently. Social media is a tool that allows individuals to engage with one another, and more recently, social media has become an influential means of consuming and disseminating news online. Reddit is a form of social media that combines both news consumption and social engagement. This major research project (MRP) examines online discourses from end-users on Reddit, from articles written by journalists, and from experts quoted in the media. Inductive content analysis reveals that topics of conversation about AI and the future of work centre around inequality and the economy. Apparent differences are observed between end-users, journalists, and experts, such as the high prevalence of dread on Reddit, which may suggest that most individuals, as opposed to those in the news media, think negatively about AI being introduced into the workplace—for reasons that revolve around the economy, inequality, or both.

History

Language

eng

Degree

  • Master of Professional Communication

Program

  • Professional Communication

Granting Institution

Ryerson University

LAC Thesis Type

  • MRP

Thesis Advisor

Dr. Robert Clapperton