Rage against machine learning: A content analysis of an anti-AI forum

Fullwood, Chris and Stefanova, Vasilena and Talbot, Catherine V. (2026) Rage against machine learning: A content analysis of an anti-AI forum. Psicologia Sociale - Social Psychology Theory & Research. ISSN 1827-2517 (In Press)

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Abstract

Generative AI is increasingly used across creative industries, including marketing and product design, and its outputs are becoming harder to distinguish from human-created work. This shift raises concerns among artists, particularly regarding job displacement, creative devaluation, and intellectual property infringement. This study presents a content analysis of 363 posts from an anti-AI forum on a popular social media platform. Forum amembers were artists at various stages of their careers with strong opposition to generative AI. The analysis identified seven key themes: (1) education and information sharing, (2) impact of AI on artists, (3) societal impacts, (4) beliefs that AI-generated content is not “real” art, (5) shaming/mocking AI users and defenders, (6) mocking AI-generated content, and (7) expressions of defiance and resistance. Posts shaming/mocking AI users and defenders were most common and received the second highest frequency of laugh reactions, suggesting a collective effort to delegitimise AI proponents, and which may be interpreted through the lens of social identity theory. The second most frequent theme concerned the societal impacts of AI, such as its integration into daily life, environmental consequences, misuse, and misinformation. Posts in this category received high numbers of comments and was associated with a high frequency of anger, sadness, and shock reactions. These findings suggest that artists’ concerns reflect not only personal and professional threats but also broader societal anxieties about AI. Understanding these perspectives is vital, as subjective attitudes and community norms influence the acceptance or rejection of AI tools in creative and professional contexts.

Item Type:	Article
Dates:	Date Event 31 May 2026 Accepted
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Artificial intelligence, artists’ perspectives, content analysis, attitudes, social identity theory, social support
Subjects:	CAH04 - psychology > CAH04-01 - psychology > CAH04-01-01 - psychology (non-specific)
Divisions:	Life and Health Sciences > Psychology
Depositing User:	Gemma Tonks
Date Deposited:	13 Jul 2026 13:43
Last Modified:	13 Jul 2026 13:43
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/17114

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