Shifting tides: How public perceptions of GPT regulation evolved before and after GPT-4 on Quora

Yipeng Xi and Luu Thuc Ngan Mai

Telecommunications Policy, 2025, vol. 49, issue 7

Abstract: Drawing on the theory of technological momentum, this study examined how public perceptions of GPT regulation evolved in response to technological advancement. Based on computational analysis of Quora posts primarily from U.S.-based users, the study traced shifting discourse patterns from initial concerns about model output to heightened attention to labor-related risks, accompanied by a notable decline in fear surrounding technical mechanism and job displacement. Despite these changes, public trust in regulatory institutions remained largely stable. The findings revealed a form of regulatory perception inertia, wherein the public maintained sustained concern for structural issues while increasingly adopting an adaptive mentality toward emerging risks. Implications for building more reflexive governance strategies that account for both cognitive adaptation and institutional inertia were also discussed.

Keywords: AI governance; Technology momentum; ChatGPT; Public perception; Technology progress (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1016/j.telpol.2025.103001

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