Stakeholder Visions of AI's Future: Analyzing Sociotechnological Narratives

1. Introduction: This article analyzes artificial intelligence (AI) development scenarios in the discourse of creators and scientists, addressing a significant gap in the current literature regarding AI's future perception by its key stakeholders. The study draws on expert and user interviews available on YouTube, allowing for a broad and current approach to the topic.

2. Goals and Methods: We utilize and advance an innovative digital grounded theory methodology, augmented by an AI-based coding system, which constitutes a significant contribution to research methods in the AI field. Through a detailed analysis of practitioners' and researchers' narratives from various disciplines, the article explores their visions of AI's current state and future, technological ambitions, and perceived challenges, including the ethical and social consequences of autonomous systems development.

3. Results: Creators, often focused on practical aspects of AI implementation, present visions related to specific technologies such as machine learning, automation, or artificial consciousness. Scientists, in contrast, formulate more theoretical AI development scenarios, concentrating on fundamental questions about intelligence, consciousness, and human-AI interaction. The article compares how these two groups perceive AI development trajectories and how their perspectives may influence research directions and technology development. The study also highlights cultural and geographical differences in approaches to AI as a distinctive feature in the global discourse on artificial intelligence.

4. Conclusions: The research results provide valuable insights into how practitioners and theorists shape the future of artificial intelligence and what roles they may play in the global technological ecosystem. The findings have significant practical implications for technology policymakers, educators, and AI-developing companies, offering insight into potential directions of technology development and associated social challenges.