Sociotechnical Construction In AI Cute Pet Short Videos: A Sociotechnical Imaginaries Perspective
With the rapid diffusion of generative AI-based short-video technologies, AI-generated cute pet videos have emerged as a representative medium through which the public’s technological anxiety surrounding artificial intelligence is alleviated by means of healing visual symbols. These videos also provide a valuable lens for observing public perceptions of AI and the formation of collective sociotechnical imaginaries. Existing studies on AI-generated content (AIGC) in the entertainment industry have primarily focused on industrial production, content governance, and user experience, while paying insufficient attention to how sociotechnical imaginaries of AI are co-constructed through interactions among multiple stakeholders. Drawing upon Sheila Jasanoff’s theory of sociotechnical imaginaries, this study analyzes 398 AI-generated cute pet short videos and 4,358 valid user comments published on Douyin. Employing multimodal discourse analysis, the study codes and interprets the discourses of three key actors: technology companies, short-video platforms, and ordinary users. The findings reveal that continuous interaction and negotiation among these actors have established a complete closed-loop mechanism integrating technological supply, platform governance, and user feedback. Through this dynamic process, they collectively construct an AI imaginary that is closely aligned with everyday entertainment experiences and centered on emotional resonance.