Framing Generative AI: An Analysis of Impact, Quoted Sources, and Attributions of Responsibilities in U.S. Elite Media

This article examined how elite news media frame the impact of generative AI on the cultural, social, economic, and political domains of life. We also analyzed the different types of ethical concerns surrounding generative AI and to whom the media attribute responsibility for creating and solving these ethical concerns. A content analysis of The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal show that societal and economic impacts were the most frequently discussed when reporting about generative AI, while societal-level attributions were mentioned more often than individual-level attributions for responsibilities. We discuss theoretical implications and future research directions.