Communication Faculty Students' Metaphorical Perceptions of Algorithms and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) are among the core areas of interest in media and communication research. In an era in which content creation is continuous, the media and communication sectors benefit significantly from these technologies. Within this framework, the perspectives of students in communication faculties, which also provide vocational education to train qualified professionals, are particularly important for understanding their attitudes toward algorithms and AI. This study aimed to identify the general perceptions of communication faculty students regarding AI and the algorithms that form its foundation. To achieve this, a phenomenological research design within the qualitative paradigm was employed, and a structured “algorithms and AI metaphor form” was administered to 63 communication faculty students. The collected data were analyzed using content analysis. As a result, 33 metaphors for algorithms and 32 for AI were identified, indicating a predominantly positive attitude toward both phenomena. The metaphors were categorized into five themes: “systematization,” “humanization,” “functionalization,” “abstraction,” and “other.” The findings suggest that, while algorithms are perceived with a more systematic approach, AI is more strongly associated with human-like qualities, reflecting diverse metaphorical perceptions of both phenomena.