Academic Journal
View in EDS

A machine, not an intelligence: how Chinese programmers imagine generative artificial intelligence.

Bibliographic Details
Title: A machine, not an intelligence: how Chinese programmers imagine generative artificial intelligence.
Authors: Wu, Yingfa1 (AUTHOR), Sun, Baicheng2 (AUTHOR) sbc22@mails.tsinghua.edu.cn
Source: Chinese Sociological Review. Jan2026, p1-36. 36p. 5 Illustrations.
Subject Terms: *Generative artificial intelligence, *Computer programmers, *Internet forums, *Mixed methods research, *Scientific models, *Artificial intelligence
Geographic Terms: China
Abstract: AbstractImaginaries have become an essential analytic lens for understanding how emerging technologies like generative artificial intelligence (AI) are envisioned. While existing studies have begun to explore these collective visions, they remain predominantly focused on a macro-level perspective, emphasizing national and public imaginaries, while overlooking those shaped by key professional groups. This study addresses this gap by examining how programmers, who occupy an intermediary role between generative AI and society, imagine this transformative technology. Drawing on insights from the Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) and the concept of imaginaries, we adopt a mixed-methods approach combining computational text analysis of online forum posts with a national survey of 14,445 Chinese programmers. Online discussions reveal two imaginaries: “AI-as-Machine,” which frames AI as a powerful yet controllable tool, and “AI-as-Intelligence,” which casts it as an autonomous and potentially disruptive agent. Survey evidence further confirms the dominance of the “AI-as-Machine” imaginaries, particularly among technically proficient programmers. By centering programmers’ pivotal position, this study not only grounds imaginaries in concrete metaphors, but offers a micro-foundation for understanding China’s rapid, tool-driven adoption of generative AI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Database: Academic Search Index
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://resolver.ebsco.com/c/fiv2js/result?sid=EBSCO:asx&genre=article&issn=21620555&ISBN=&volume=&issue=&date=20260127&spage=1&pages=1-36&title=Chinese Sociological Review&atitle=A%20machine%2C%20not%20an%20intelligence%3A%20how%20Chinese%20programmers%20imagine%20generative%20artificial%20intelligence.&aulast=Wu%2C%20Yingfa&id=DOI:10.1080/21620555.2026.2620115
    Name: Full Text Finder (for New FTF UI) (ns324271)
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text Finder
    MouseOverText: Full Text Finder
Header DbId: asx
DbLabel: Academic Search Index
An: 191164664
RelevancyScore: 1411
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 1411.06677246094
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: A machine, not an intelligence: how Chinese programmers imagine generative artificial intelligence.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wu%2C+Yingfa%22">Wu, Yingfa</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sun%2C+Baicheng%22">Sun, Baicheng</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> sbc22@mails.tsinghua.edu.cn</i>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Chinese+Sociological+Review%22">Chinese Sociological Review</searchLink>. Jan2026, p1-36. 36p. 5 Illustrations.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Generative+artificial+intelligence%22">Generative artificial intelligence</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+programmers%22">Computer programmers</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Internet+forums%22">Internet forums</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mixed+methods+research%22">Mixed methods research</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scientific+models%22">Scientific models</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Artificial+intelligence%22">Artificial intelligence</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectGeographic
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22China%22">China</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: AbstractImaginaries have become an essential analytic lens for understanding how emerging technologies like generative artificial intelligence (AI) are envisioned. While existing studies have begun to explore these collective visions, they remain predominantly focused on a macro-level perspective, emphasizing national and public imaginaries, while overlooking those shaped by key professional groups. This study addresses this gap by examining how programmers, who occupy an intermediary role between generative AI and society, imagine this transformative technology. Drawing on insights from the Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) and the concept of imaginaries, we adopt a mixed-methods approach combining computational text analysis of online forum posts with a national survey of 14,445 Chinese programmers. Online discussions reveal two imaginaries: “AI-as-Machine,” which frames AI as a powerful yet controllable tool, and “AI-as-Intelligence,” which casts it as an autonomous and potentially disruptive agent. Survey evidence further confirms the dominance of the “AI-as-Machine” imaginaries, particularly among technically proficient programmers. By centering programmers’ pivotal position, this study not only grounds imaginaries in concrete metaphors, but offers a micro-foundation for understanding China’s rapid, tool-driven adoption of generative AI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=asx&AN=191164664
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/21620555.2026.2620115
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 36
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: China
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Generative artificial intelligence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer programmers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Internet forums
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mixed methods research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Scientific models
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Artificial intelligence
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: A machine, not an intelligence: how Chinese programmers imagine generative artificial intelligence.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Wu, Yingfa
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Sun, Baicheng
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 27
              M: 01
              Text: Jan2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 21620555
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Chinese Sociological Review
              Type: main
ResultId 1