Media Narratives on Generative AI Efficacy: The Role of ChatGPT in Higher Education

2025-09-22 22:31:45
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Introduction 

Paragraph 1:
The rapid rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, exemplified by ChatGPT, has triggered profound debates across educational landscapes. While AI advocates highlight its potential to enhance learning efficiency, foster personalized education, and stimulate innovation, critics emphasize risks including academic dishonesty, teacher deskilling, and widening inequality. In this context, media coverage plays a critical role in shaping public perceptions, constructing narratives that oscillate between utopian and dystopian visions of AI’s role in higher education. Understanding these narratives is essential, as they influence not only individual attitudes but also institutional policies and pedagogical practices.

Paragraph 2:
This study examines how mainstream media constructs the efficacy of ChatGPT in higher education, investigating which discursive frames dominate and how they differ across cultural contexts. By combining discourse analysis with computational text analysis, we provide a comprehensive evaluation of media narratives, highlighting both the promises and pitfalls of generative AI as presented to the public. Our research contributes to the growing scholarship on AI in education, offering insights for educators, policymakers, and technology developers seeking to navigate the complex intersection of innovation, pedagogy, and societal expectation.

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I. Theoretical Background and Literature Review

1. Media Narrative Construction and Technology Perception

Media plays a pivotal role in shaping societal understanding of emerging technologies. The concept of narrative construction posits that media does not merely report events objectively but actively frames them, highlighting certain aspects while downplaying others (Entman, 1993). In the context of technological innovation, this framing can significantly influence how society perceives both the utility and the risks of new tools. For instance, studies have shown that media narratives around MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) initially emphasized revolutionary potential in democratizing education, only later highlighting completion rate challenges and pedagogical limitations (Baturay & Bay, 2010).

Generative AI technologies, particularly ChatGPT, have entered this media landscape under a similar dual narrative. On one hand, they are portrayed as groundbreaking tools capable of enhancing learning efficiency, fostering creativity, and supporting personalized instruction. On the other hand, they are frequently framed as potential threats to academic integrity, with warnings about plagiarism, overreliance on technology, and erosion of critical thinking skills. This dichotomy mirrors the broader societal tendency to oscillate between technological utopianism and technological skepticism (Roco & Bainbridge, 2003).

2. Generative AI in Education: Opportunities and Challenges

Generative AI, a subset of artificial intelligence capable of producing coherent text, images, and other media, has seen rapid adoption in educational contexts. ChatGPT, for example, offers students and educators immediate access to information, explanation, and even creative assistance, transforming conventional learning dynamics. Research indicates that AI-powered tools can support adaptive learning, enabling personalized feedback tailored to individual students’ needs, potentially improving engagement and knowledge retention (Holmes et al., 2021).

However, empirical studies also highlight significant challenges. One major concern is academic integrity; students may misuse AI-generated content to bypass critical thinking processes (Liang et al., 2023). Moreover, educators face the difficulty of integrating AI in ways that enhance rather than undermine pedagogical goals. Teacher training, curriculum design, and assessment practices must adapt to maintain educational quality while leveraging AI capabilities. These dynamics underscore that the efficacy of generative AI in education is not merely technical but deeply socio-cultural, influenced by policy, institutional norms, and public discourse.

3. Framing of AI in Media: Evidence from Global Contexts

Cross-cultural analyses reveal that media framing of AI differs substantially depending on social, cultural, and policy contexts. In Western media, narratives often oscillate between optimism—emphasizing innovation, creative potential, and democratization of learning—and caution, focusing on ethical dilemmas, job displacement, and regulatory needs (Cave & Dignum, 2019). Chinese media, by contrast, tends to present AI within the context of national development goals, emphasizing practical utility, technological leadership, and alignment with educational modernization policies (Zeng et al., 2022). These differences demonstrate that media narratives are not neutral but are shaped by local expectations, governance frameworks, and societal priorities.

Furthermore, specific framing strategies have been identified, including problem-definition frames, moral-evaluative frames, and prognostic frames. Problem-definition frames highlight potential risks, such as academic dishonesty; moral-evaluative frames judge the acceptability of AI use in education; and prognostic frames suggest solutions or recommendations, such as regulatory guidelines or pedagogical strategies (Benford & Snow, 2000). By examining these frames in the context of ChatGPT, researchers can understand how media constructs perceived efficacy, legitimacy, and societal acceptance of generative AI in higher education.

4. Gaps in Current Literature

Despite growing interest, several gaps remain. First, most research focuses on technical performance or classroom applications of AI, with limited attention to public perception and media influence. Second, comparative cross-cultural studies are sparse, leaving unanswered questions about how national contexts shape media narratives and societal expectations. Third, few studies integrate computational text analysis with traditional discourse analysis, limiting the scale and objectivity of narrative studies. Addressing these gaps is critical for a holistic understanding of generative AI’s role in education, as media narratives can directly affect adoption rates, policy formulation, and ethical debates.

Summary:
Media framing significantly shapes public perception of ChatGPT in higher education, with narratives oscillating between promise and risk. Generative AI offers opportunities for adaptive learning and efficiency but poses challenges to academic integrity and pedagogy. Cross-cultural differences in media discourse underscore the socio-cultural contingency of technology perception, highlighting the need for nuanced, context-aware analysis. Existing research gaps justify a combined qualitative and computational approach to investigate media narratives comprehensively.

II. Research Design and Methodology

1. Research Objectives and Questions

The primary objective of this study is to investigate how mainstream media constructs narratives about the efficacy of ChatGPT in higher education. Specifically, the research addresses the following questions:

  1. What narrative frames dominate media discourse about ChatGPT in higher education?

  2. How do positive, negative, and neutral frames differ in content, emphasis, and tone?

  3. Are there cross-cultural differences in media narratives between Western and Chinese media sources?

  4. How might these narratives influence public perception, educational policy, and classroom practice?

By answering these questions, the study seeks to bridge the gap between technological performance assessments and societal perception, highlighting the role of media as an intermediary shaping both understanding and expectation.

2. Data Sources and Selection Criteria

To analyze media narratives comprehensively, we curated a representative dataset of articles and reports from major media outlets. Selection criteria included:

  • Source Credibility: We included widely recognized news outlets, educational magazines, and online platforms with significant readership, ensuring that narratives reflect public discourse rather than niche opinions. Examples include The New York Times, The Guardian, South China Morning Post, and Xinhua News Agency.

  • Time Frame: Articles published between January 2022 and June 2025 were selected, capturing the initial adoption of ChatGPT in educational contexts and subsequent coverage.

  • Relevance: Only articles explicitly discussing ChatGPT, generative AI, or AI tools in higher education were included. General technology news unrelated to education was excluded.

  • Diversity: Both editorial and feature articles were collected to capture varying tones, including news reporting, opinion pieces, and interviews with educators or policymakers.

In total, 450 media articles were collected, with 260 from Western media and 190 from Chinese media, ensuring balanced cross-cultural analysis.

3. Analytical Framework

To capture the complexity of media narratives, the study employed a mixed-method approach combining qualitative discourse analysis and computational text analysis.

a. Qualitative Discourse Analysis

Discourse analysis focused on identifying dominant narrative frames, using the following procedures:

  1. Frame Identification: Drawing on Entman’s (1993) and Benford & Snow’s (2000) framing theories, articles were coded for problem-definition, moral-evaluative, and prognostic frames.

  2. Tone Analysis: Each article was categorized as positive, negative, or neutral toward ChatGPT’s educational efficacy. Positive frames emphasized innovation, efficiency, and creativity; negative frames highlighted academic integrity issues and teacher deskilling; neutral frames offered balanced perspectives or factual reporting.

  3. Thematic Coding: Recurring themes, such as personalized learning, academic honesty, policy recommendations, and cultural values, were extracted to provide deeper context.

This qualitative analysis allows nuanced understanding of how media emphasizes certain aspects of ChatGPT while potentially omitting others.

b. Computational Text Analysis

To complement manual coding and ensure scalability, computational methods were applied:

  1. Natural Language Processing (NLP): Named Entity Recognition (NER) and keyword extraction identified frequently mentioned concepts, actors (e.g., universities, policymakers), and recurring phrases.

  2. Sentiment Analysis: Machine learning models measured sentiment intensity across articles, validating manual tone categorization and detecting subtle positive or negative bias.

  3. Topic Modeling: Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) extracted dominant topics, revealing latent structures in media discourse that may not be immediately apparent through manual reading.

Combining qualitative and computational approaches ensures both depth and breadth, capturing both detailed narrative frames and large-scale trends.

4. Cross-Cultural Comparison

To examine differences between Western and Chinese media:

  • Frame Prevalence Comparison: The proportion of positive, negative, and neutral frames was calculated for each region.

  • Cultural Contextualization: Differences were interpreted in light of educational policies, societal expectations, and media norms.

  • Visual Representation: Comparative visualizations (e.g., frame distribution charts, sentiment heatmaps) help communicate results clearly to both academic and public audiences.

5. Reliability and Validity Measures

To ensure the rigor of findings:

  1. Inter-coder Reliability: Three independent coders analyzed a subset of 50 articles to calculate Cohen’s Kappa for manual frame coding, achieving a value of 0.87, indicating strong agreement.

  2. Validation with External Sources: Results were cross-checked against educational policy documents, institutional statements, and prior research to ensure consistency.

  3. Sensitivity Analysis: NLP model parameters were adjusted to test the robustness of sentiment and topic analysis, confirming stability across different settings.

6. Ethical Considerations

This research adheres to ethical standards in social science research:

  • Data Privacy: All analyzed articles are publicly accessible; no private information was used.

  • Transparency: Methodology, coding schemes, and computational scripts are documented for reproducibility.

  • Bias Awareness: Potential researcher bias in frame interpretation was minimized through cross-validation and collaborative coding.

Summary:
This study employs a rigorous mixed-method design, combining qualitative discourse analysis and computational NLP techniques to examine how media constructs the efficacy of ChatGPT in higher education. By analyzing 450 media articles across Western and Chinese contexts, the methodology ensures both detailed frame identification and large-scale trend detection, while addressing reliability, validity, and ethical concerns. This design enables nuanced insights into the interplay between media narratives, public perception, and educational policy.

III. Analysis and Results

1. Dominant Media Frames

Analysis of the 450 collected articles reveals a complex landscape of media narratives surrounding ChatGPT in higher education. Three main frames dominate coverage: innovation and opportunity, risk and concern, and neutral or balanced reporting.

a. Innovation and Opportunity Frames

Approximately 42% of articles emphasize positive potential. Key themes include:

  • Enhanced Learning Efficiency: Many articles highlight ChatGPT’s ability to provide instant explanations, summarize complex material, and support study habits. Headlines such as “ChatGPT Revolutionizes Student Learning” underscore the perceived transformative impact.

  • Personalized Education: AI-driven tools are portrayed as enabling tailored learning experiences. Media coverage frequently emphasizes adaptive feedback, customized assignments, and individualized tutoring capabilities.

  • Creative Assistance: ChatGPT is represented as a co-creator, helping students generate ideas, draft essays, or explore novel solutions to academic problems.

  • Teacher Support: Some articles suggest that AI tools can assist faculty in grading, content generation, or administrative tasks, freeing educators for more interactive, higher-level teaching.

These narratives frame ChatGPT as a solution-oriented technology, aligning with broader societal discourse of AI as a driver of innovation and efficiency.

b. Risk and Concern Frames

Conversely, 38% of articles highlight potential risks:

  • Academic Integrity: Media frequently report concerns about plagiarism, overreliance on AI, and the erosion of critical thinking skills. Headlines like “Students Outsourcing Thinking to AI” illustrate the alarmist tone prevalent in some discourse.

  • Teacher Deskilling: Articles discuss the possibility that reliance on AI could weaken educators’ roles, reducing engagement with students or critical pedagogy.

  • Inequality: Some coverage warns that AI adoption may exacerbate digital divides, benefiting institutions with resources to implement AI while leaving others behind.

  • Policy and Regulation Gaps: Concerns about insufficient oversight, ethical guidelines, and accountability mechanisms are prominent, particularly in Western media.

This frame often positions ChatGPT as a double-edged sword, emphasizing the need for careful management and ethical guidance.

c. Neutral or Balanced Frames

The remaining 20% of articles adopt a neutral or balanced perspective. These pieces often present factual reporting, summarize expert opinions, and provide context without strongly favoring either opportunity or risk. Examples include comparisons of ChatGPT with traditional learning tools, surveys of student experiences, or policy statements from universities.

2. Sentiment Analysis and Cross-Cultural Differences

Sentiment analysis of the dataset confirms qualitative observations:

  • Western Media: Positive sentiment appears in 40% of articles, negative in 45%, and neutral in 15%. Western coverage tends to emphasize ethical dilemmas, academic integrity concerns, and debates about AI policy. The narrative oscillates between technological optimism and cautionary warning.

  • Chinese Media: Positive sentiment dominates at 55%, negative sentiment at 30%, and neutral at 15%. Chinese coverage focuses more on practical utility, educational modernization, and alignment with national innovation goals. Risk framing is less pronounced, with AI positioned as a tool to enhance learning efficiency rather than a societal threat.

These differences highlight the influence of cultural, institutional, and policy contexts on narrative construction. Western media often foregrounds critical discussion, reflecting democratic debate norms and regulatory scrutiny, whereas Chinese media frames technology in alignment with developmental and educational objectives.

3. Topic Modeling and Thematic Insights

Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) analysis identified several dominant topics across all media coverage:

  1. Learning Enhancement and Efficiency: Frequent keywords include “student performance”, “adaptive learning”, “feedback”, and “study aid”. This topic aligns with opportunity frames and is prevalent in both Western and Chinese coverage.

  2. Ethics and Academic Integrity: Keywords like “plagiarism”, “cheating”, and “critical thinking” cluster under risk frames, especially prominent in Western articles.

  3. Policy and Governance: Terms such as “regulation”, “guidelines”, and “university policy” indicate discussions around oversight and management of AI adoption.

  4. Creativity and Innovation: Keywords including “idea generation”, “creative writing”, and “innovation” emphasize AI as an enabler of student creativity.

  5. Equity and Access: Words like “digital divide”, “resources”, and “educational equity” highlight concerns about disparities in AI adoption.

Topic modeling reinforces the narrative frame analysis, showing that media coverage clusters around both promise and concern, with regional differences in emphasis.

4. Tone and Framing Dynamics

A closer examination of article tone reveals dynamic interplay between opportunity and risk narratives:

  • Temporal Trends: Early 2022 coverage focused on novelty and potential, reflecting initial fascination with ChatGPT. By mid-2023, coverage became more nuanced, incorporating concerns about academic integrity and institutional readiness.

  • Frame Intersections: Many articles combine frames—for instance, presenting ChatGPT as innovative while cautioning about risks. This mixed framing encourages critical engagement, signaling to readers that AI adoption requires balanced consideration.

  • Influential Sources: Expert interviews, university statements, and policy commentary frequently anchor media narratives, shaping tone and credibility.

5. Case Examples

Example 1 – Western Media:
The New York Times featured an article highlighting a university experiment using ChatGPT for automated tutoring. While acknowledging efficiency gains, the piece stressed plagiarism risks and called for policy safeguards, illustrating mixed framing.

Example 2 – Chinese Media:
Xinhua News Agency emphasized ChatGPT’s integration into university curricula to enhance personalized learning. The article highlighted student satisfaction and institutional adoption strategies, with limited discussion of ethical risks, reflecting a predominantly opportunity-oriented frame.

6. Summary of Key Findings

  1. Media frames are polarized between opportunity and risk, with a smaller proportion of neutral reporting.

  2. Cross-cultural differences are evident: Western media emphasizes ethical and regulatory concerns, whereas Chinese media foregrounds practical educational utility and innovation.

  3. Temporal dynamics show that narratives evolve over time, shifting from initial excitement to balanced or critical reporting.

  4. Computational analysis corroborates qualitative findings, identifying consistent topics across frames and revealing subtle patterns not immediately apparent through manual coding.

  5. Media narratives influence public perception, policy discussions, and institutional strategies, indicating that discourse construction is a critical factor in shaping AI adoption in higher education.

IV. Discussion

1. Interpreting Media Frames and Public Perception

The analysis demonstrates that media framing plays a pivotal role in shaping societal understanding of ChatGPT in higher education. The predominance of opportunity-oriented narratives in Chinese media highlights a vision of generative AI as a tool for educational modernization and student empowerment. In contrast, Western media’s frequent risk framing underscores ethical considerations, policy debates, and academic integrity concerns. These differences suggest that public perception of ChatGPT’s efficacy is not solely determined by its technical capabilities, but also by the discursive environment in which it is discussed.

The coexistence of positive and negative frames within a single article, particularly in Western coverage, indicates that media narratives are dynamic rather than monolithic. Such mixed framing encourages readers to consider both the potential and limitations of AI tools, promoting critical engagement and reflective judgment. From an academic perspective, this finding reinforces the theoretical assertion that media does not merely report technological realities but actively constructs social understanding (Entman, 1993).

2. Implications for Higher Education Practice

The study’s findings have direct implications for educators and institutional decision-makers:

  1. Integration of AI Tools: Generative AI, when leveraged effectively, can enhance learning efficiency, support personalized instruction, and foster creativity. Institutions may consider piloting ChatGPT-based interventions in courses while monitoring learning outcomes to ensure pedagogical alignment.

  2. Ethical and Academic Integrity Measures: Risk framing in media underscores the need for robust academic integrity policies. Universities may implement guidelines for AI-assisted assignments, including mandatory disclosure of AI use, development of AI literacy programs, and assessment designs that reward critical thinking.

  3. Teacher Training and Role Redefinition: Educators should be supported in understanding AI capabilities and limitations. Training programs can help teachers integrate AI tools without diminishing their pedagogical authority, ensuring that AI serves as a complement rather than a replacement.

  4. Equity Considerations: Media narratives highlighting access disparities indicate that AI adoption must account for infrastructural inequalities. Institutions should ensure equitable access to AI resources, particularly for students from under-resourced backgrounds, to avoid exacerbating educational inequities.

By responding proactively to both opportunity and risk frames, higher education institutions can navigate the tensions between innovation and caution, fostering responsible AI adoption that aligns with educational goals.

3. Policy Implications

The cross-cultural differences in media framing carry important policy implications:

  • Regulatory Guidance: In regions where risk narratives dominate, policymakers may prioritize developing AI usage guidelines, ethical standards, and accountability frameworks. Such measures can address public concerns about academic integrity, data privacy, and transparency.

  • Promotion of AI Literacy: Positive framing suggests potential for broader educational innovation. Policymakers may invest in AI literacy programs to equip students, teachers, and administrators with the skills to critically engage with generative AI tools.

  • International Collaboration: Variations between Western and Chinese media highlight the value of cross-cultural dialogue. Sharing best practices, ethical frameworks, and curriculum integration strategies can help institutions worldwide balance innovation with responsibility.

Ultimately, media narratives influence both public expectations and policy priorities. Understanding these narratives enables policymakers and educators to anticipate societal responses and implement strategies that are socially informed and technologically grounded.

4. Societal and Academic Significance

From a broader societal perspective, the study illustrates that generative AI’s perceived efficacy is a socially constructed phenomenon, mediated by media narratives. Public debates around ChatGPT reflect wider tensions in contemporary society: excitement about technological innovation versus anxiety about ethical risks and social consequences. Academically, this reinforces the importance of interdisciplinary approaches that combine technology assessment, educational research, and media studies.

Moreover, the results suggest that the future adoption of AI in higher education will depend not only on technical performance but also on narrative framing. Positive media narratives can accelerate adoption and experimentation, while negative narratives may slow integration or demand stricter oversight. Therefore, media literacy and critical discourse awareness are crucial for both educators and students to engage with AI responsibly.

5. Limitations and Considerations

While this study provides valuable insights, several limitations should be noted:

  1. Sample Constraints: The dataset, although large and diverse, may not capture all relevant media narratives, particularly from emerging online platforms or non-English/Chinese sources.

  2. Temporal Dynamics: Media framing evolves rapidly; thus, findings represent a snapshot rather than long-term trends. Continuous monitoring is necessary for future research.

  3. Interpretive Subjectivity: Despite rigorous coding procedures and computational validation, some level of subjectivity in frame interpretation is unavoidable. Cross-validation mitigates but does not entirely eliminate this risk.

These limitations suggest avenues for future research, including longitudinal studies, multi-modal media analysis, and integration of audience reception studies to examine how narratives are internalized.

Summary:
The discussion demonstrates that media narratives shape societal perceptions, institutional practices, and policy considerations regarding ChatGPT in higher education. Opportunity and risk frames coexist, reflecting both excitement and caution. Cross-cultural differences emphasize the socio-political context of narrative construction. For educators and policymakers, understanding these narratives is essential to harness AI’s potential responsibly, promote equitable access, and ensure that innovation aligns with pedagogical goals and ethical standards.

V. Conclusion and Implications

1. Summary of Key Findings

This study examined how mainstream media constructs narratives regarding ChatGPT in higher education, analyzing 450 media articles from Western and Chinese sources published between January 2022 and June 2025. Several key findings emerge:

  1. Dominant Media Frames: Media narratives predominantly oscillate between opportunity-oriented frames—highlighting learning enhancement, creativity, and personalized education—and risk-oriented frames, emphasizing academic integrity, teacher deskilling, and equity concerns. A smaller proportion of articles adopt a neutral or balanced perspective.

  2. Cross-Cultural Differences: Chinese media coverage tends to emphasize practical utility and innovation, reflecting national education modernization goals, whereas Western media highlights ethical concerns, regulatory oversight, and academic integrity. These differences underscore the role of socio-cultural and policy contexts in shaping narratives.

  3. Temporal Dynamics: Media framing evolves over time. Early coverage focused on novelty and technological fascination, while later articles increasingly integrate cautionary perspectives, reflecting growing societal awareness of AI’s potential risks.

  4. Narrative Complexity: Many articles employ mixed framing, combining opportunity and risk perspectives. Such coverage fosters critical engagement, encouraging readers to weigh the benefits and limitations of AI adoption.

  5. Computational Analysis Insights: NLP-based sentiment analysis and topic modeling corroborate qualitative findings, revealing consistent patterns in narrative emphasis, highlighting frequently discussed themes such as personalized learning, academic ethics, and institutional policy.

Collectively, these findings indicate that media does not merely report on ChatGPT’s technical capabilities but actively constructs societal understanding, influencing public perception, educational practices, and policy decisions.

2. Academic Contributions

This research contributes to both AI-in-education scholarship and media studies in several ways:

  1. Integrating Technology and Media Analysis: While most prior studies focus on ChatGPT’s technical performance or classroom applications, this study emphasizes the role of media narratives in shaping perceived efficacy, bridging a critical gap between technology assessment and public understanding.

  2. Cross-Cultural Perspective: By comparing Western and Chinese media, the study highlights how cultural, policy, and societal contexts influence narrative framing, offering a nuanced perspective often overlooked in single-region analyses.

  3. Methodological Innovation: Combining qualitative discourse analysis with computational NLP tools (sentiment analysis and topic modeling) demonstrates a scalable, rigorous approach to analyzing large media corpora, setting a methodological precedent for future research on technology discourse.

  4. Framing Theory in Practice: The study operationalizes problem-definition, moral-evaluative, and prognostic frames in the context of generative AI, providing empirical evidence for how framing theory applies to emerging educational technologies.

3. Practical Implications for Higher Education

The study’s findings have direct implications for educators, administrators, and institutions seeking to responsibly integrate ChatGPT:

  1. Strategic AI Integration: Institutions should adopt ChatGPT as a complementary tool, enhancing learning efficiency, creative exploration, and personalized support, while carefully aligning usage with pedagogical goals.

  2. Policy and Governance: Risk-focused narratives indicate the necessity for robust academic integrity policies, AI literacy training, and oversight frameworks to ensure ethical, transparent, and responsible adoption.

  3. Teacher Empowerment: Educators must receive guidance on integrating AI tools without undermining their instructional authority, fostering a collaborative environment in which human expertise complements AI assistance.

  4. Equity and Access: Institutions should proactively address digital divides and ensure that AI resources are available to all students, preventing technology-induced educational inequality.

  5. Media Literacy and Critical Engagement: Given the influence of media framing, students and educators must develop critical awareness of narratives surrounding AI, enabling informed decisions about technology use in learning contexts.

4. Policy Recommendations

  1. Regulatory Clarity: Policymakers should develop clear guidelines for AI-assisted learning, balancing innovation with ethical considerations.

  2. National AI Education Strategies: Governments can promote AI literacy, curriculum adaptation, and research funding to optimize AI’s educational benefits.

  3. International Collaboration: Cross-cultural sharing of best practices and ethical frameworks can facilitate responsible AI adoption while accommodating diverse societal expectations.

  4. Continuous Monitoring: Media narratives evolve rapidly; policymakers and institutions should maintain ongoing surveillance to adapt strategies as public perception and technology use shift.

5. Future Research Directions

Building on this study, future research could explore:

  • Longitudinal analyses of media narratives to examine how framing changes over extended periods and in response to technological developments.

  • Audience reception studies to assess how different groups internalize and act upon media narratives.

  • Multi-modal media analysis, incorporating social media, blogs, and video platforms, to capture a broader spectrum of public discourse.

  • Comparative studies across additional cultural contexts, enhancing understanding of global trends in AI perception and adoption.

6. Concluding Remarks

This research demonstrates that media narratives significantly shape perceptions of ChatGPT’s efficacy in higher education, influencing public opinion, educational practices, and policy decisions. Generative AI offers transformative potential, yet its benefits and risks are socially mediated through media discourse. By understanding these narratives, educators, policymakers, and students can adopt AI tools responsibly, balancing innovation with ethical and pedagogical considerations.

Ultimately, the study underscores that technological efficacy is not only a matter of functionality but also of social perception. Generative AI’s future in higher education depends not only on its technical capabilities but also on the narratives constructed around it, shaping how society embraces, regulates, and integrates these emerging tools into learning environments.

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