Sociotechnical Imaginaries of ChatGPT in Higher Education: The Evolving Media Discourse

This study investigates how U.S. news media framed the use of ChatGPT in higher education from November 2022 to October 2024. Employing Framing Theory and combining temporal and sentiment analysis of 198 news articles, we trace the evolving narratives surrounding generative AI. We found that the media discourse largely centered on institutional responses; policy changes and teaching practices showed the most consistent presence and positive sentiment over time. Conversely, coverage of topics such as human-centered learning, the job market, and skill development appeared more sporadically, with initially uncertain portrayals gradually shifting toward cautious optimism. Importantly, media sentiment toward ChatGPT's role in college admissions remained predominantly negative. Our findings suggest that media narratives prioritize institutional responses to generative AI over long-term, broader ethical, social, and labor-related implications, shaping an emerging sociotechnical imaginary that frames generative AI in education primarily through the lens of adaptation and innovation.