The dystopian imaginaries of ChatGPT: A designed cycle of fear

The advent of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in 2022 catalyzed a wave of excitement and apprehension, but especially fear. This article examines the dystopian narratives that emerged after ChatGPT’s release date. Through a critical analysis of media responses, we uncover how dystopian imaginaries discussing ChatGPT become rhetorically constructed in popular, journalistic discourse. The article locates prevalent anxieties surrounding ChatGPT’s unprecedented text-generation capabilities, and identifies recurrent fears regarding academic integrity, the proliferation of misinformation, ethical dilemmas in human-AI interaction, and the perpetuation of social biases. Moreover, the article introduces the concept of ‘fear cycles’ – recurring patterns of dystopian projections in response to emerging technologies. By documenting and dissecting these fear cycles, we offer insights into the underlying rhetorical features that drive societal reactions to technological advancements. The research ultimately contributes to a nuanced understanding of how ChatGPT dystopian imaginaries develop particular futures, while grounding the present in predictable anxieties related to technological innovation.