Conceptualization of artificial intelligence in English-speaking expert and public discourse: AI – BRAIN vs AI – MIND

The subject of the study is the peculiarities of the conceptualization of artificial intelligence in expert and public English-language AI discourse through the implementation of two interconnected conceptual metaphors ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE – BRAIN and AI – MIND, which form a conceptual metaphorical complex where artificial intelligence is structured as a form of human cognition. Based on English-language publications from professional and specialized AI community websites and media publications, verbalizers of the concepts BRAIN and MIND in relation to artificial intelligence are identified. Expert discourse in the article refers to publications from the professional and scientific AI community, for example, on resources such as TechXplorer, Frontiers, FCIR, Synced, and TechCrunch. Public discourse refers to media articles, particularly from The Guardian, as well as websites promoting new AI products. The methodological framework of the research is based on the theory of conceptual metaphor (Lakoff). Additionally, based on a linguocognitive approach, the field structure of the concepts BRAIN and MIND is compared to analyze the realization of the highlighted metaphors in AI discourse. The novelty of the research lies in the comprehensive examination of the conceptual metaphors AI – BRAIN and AI – MIND and in comparing their realization in expert and public AI discourses. It is concluded that the metaphor AI – BRAIN, initially actualized in expert discourse and solidified in quasi-scientific terms, serves as a trigger for the actualization of the metaphor AI – MIND in public discourse. This is explained in terms of the linguocognitive approach as the connection between the concepts BRAIN/MIND through metonymic transfer: function – result. Furthermore, the realization of the mind metaphor (AI – MIND) in public discourse is explained by its marketing component, where AI products are presented as agents (AI agents) capable of performing autonomous actions, leading to the conceptualization of artificial intelligence as possessing subjectivity and intelligence. The article notes the asymmetry in the realization of these metaphors in expert and public discourse. In conclusion, it is asserted that understanding the cognitive mechanisms of conceptualizing new technology helps avoid false representations of artificial intelligence and more adequately define its role in the new digital reality.