ABSTRACT
Technologies by their very nature are inherently disruptive, as they are designed as innovations to existing processes and established norms. Generative AI (GenAI) is no different, and there is already evidence of increased and intense public debate around their influences on individuals, organizations, and society. In this chapter, we take a closer look at the genesis of these debates, which we attribute partly to common misconceptions and misunderstandings about GenAI (and AI broadly) and partly to moral panic cycles. This chapter briefly overviews the AI development in order to show areas of conceptual ambiguity, then discusses logics and theories of moral panic and exemplification theory, and ends with suggestions for future consideration for those interested in understanding and unpacking the rational irrationality that comes with panic.
