AI news coverage reveals hierarchy of innovators, regulators and overlooked regions

A comprehensive analysis of nearly 43,000 English-language newspaper articles published in the United States and Europe has revealed a stark hierarchy in the narrative surrounding artificial intelligence (AI). According to the study, funded by the University of Sharjah and published in the International Journal of Communication, the news media heavily favors certain actors, shaping perceptions of who is innovating, regulating, and threatening AI's future.

The United States is predominantly portrayed as the technological innovator and leader in AI development, while Europe assumes the role of the regulator and evaluator of the technology. China, a major player in AI alongside the U.S., is depicted as a hyper-visible but ambiguous rival, linked to concerns about surveillance, geopolitical competition, and strategic threats.

Regions such as Africa and Latin America are largely absent from the narrative or are depicted only as sites where AI is implemented, posing risks, or requiring development. The research team, led by Professor Massimo Ragnedda, argues that this unequal distribution of narrative authority reflects an unequal distribution of power, where some actors are repeatedly positioned as legitimate interpreters of AI's future, while others are mainly seen as recipients or objects of technological change.

The study suggests that AI should be viewed not just as a technological innovation but also as a sphere marked by power rivalries, geopolitical competition, and concentrated infrastructure. It frames AI as an inequality regime in which communicative power, visibility, value, and opportunity are distributed through unequal linguistic structures of control.

The news, therefore, is not merely a mirror of technological change but a narrative infrastructure that shapes public understanding and acknowledges the authority of certain actors over others in the global AI discourse.