Have You Chatted with Your Future AI Overlords Today? An exploratory study of how people interpret the adoption of Artificial Intelligence

Sammanfattning: The majority of the world is affected by Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology on a daily basis. As AI spreads and becomes more pervasive in their lives, people are trying to interpret its meaning and scope. Our thesis explores a previously neglected area of literature surrounding the adoption and acceptance of AI-based technology. Through an iterative, abductive process we gain an understanding of people's technological frames of reference as they pertain to AI. We study interpretations of AI through a series of interviews and participant interactions with a specific technology - chatbots. By interviewing Generation Y Swedes, we discover key framing constructs that help shape their technological frames of reference. Furthermore, contrary to what the dominant theory on individual technology adoption would predict, we observe that people do not engage in a solely rational process of benefits assessment prior to AI acceptance. Instead, they approach AI adoption as a foregone conclusion where their interpretations and expectations pertaining to the technology are shaped by societal trends, cultural norms, and individual experiences. Ultimately, by identifying and studying these constructs, we hope to create a starting point for other researchers trying to understand AI technology adoption and create an awareness of end-user needs for AI practitioners.