One AI world, one dream? Cross-platform comparative study of sociotechnical imaginaries of artificial intelligence on X and Weibo

This study conducts a computational and comparative analysis to investigate cross-cultural divergences in sociotechnical imaginaries of artificial intelligence (AI), as reflected in user discourses on social media platforms Weibo and X (formerly Twitter). A total of 8741 Weibo posts and 7020 X posts were analyzed across three dimensions: theme, narrative, and sentiment. Results reveal that Weibo users emphasize national strategic goals and practical AI applications marked by prevailing optimism, while X users highlight privacy risks and ethical implications, demonstrating greater caution. These divergences illustrate how sociotechnical imaginaries of AI differ across different cultural contexts. This study further discusses how these divergences are rooted in specific sociocultural settings and, in turn, influence the distinct patterns of AI development and governance, revealing the co-constitutive dynamics among technology, society, and imagination.