Generative AI as Digital Media

Generative AI should be regulated like other digital media platforms, not as a fundamentally new technology. The paper argues that generative AI follows the same pattern as search engines and social media by centralizing information control, using complex algorithms, and relying on user data—suggesting existing regulatory lessons apply rather than requiring entirely novel approaches.

Current AI regulations focus too narrowly on measurable risks and miss the bigger picture. The EU's AI Act and US Executive Order 14110 emphasize "reactive risk mitigation" for specific threats like national security and algorithmic bias, but fail to address broader concerns about trust, legitimacy, and the fragmentation of public discourse into isolated communities.

The real danger is generative AI's ability to bypass traditional gatekeepers and personalize information. Unlike previous media platforms, generative AI can customize content at scale, intensifying the risk that people retreat into "isolated communities dominated by comforting, tribal beliefs" rather than engaging with shared factual reality.

Regulation should prioritize trustworthiness of media institutions over just managing isolated risks. The paper argues that proactive regulation emphasizing transparency, accountability, and public confidence is essential—not just reactive measures addressing measurable technological threats.

Treating generative AI as "revolutionary" risks repeating past regulatory failures. The paper warns that viewing this technology as fundamentally different from existing digital media may cause policymakers to overlook lessons learned from inadequate social media regulation.