China’s Story in the Intelligent Era: Empowerment, Alienation and Regulation of AI in International Communication

Abstract

With the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence, generative AI tools represented by Sora and Doubao are playing an increasingly important role in international communication. This paper compares the differences between Sora and Doubao in character image generation through content analysis and questionnaire surveys, and explores how these differences influence audience cognition and attitudes, as well as cultural biases in character image construction. The study finds that images generated by Sora lean more toward Western aesthetics, while Doubao exhibits stronger characteristics of China’s local culture. Audiences are subtly influenced by these cultural biases during use. Building on this, the paper reveals that generative AI achieves cognitive shaping through dual mechanisms of “cumulative acculturation” and “selective reinforcement,” indicating that AI is not a neutral tool but a reality constructor carrying specific cultural stances. In response to this trend, enhancing audience algorithmic awareness, developing independently controllable AI technologies, and optimizing the content expression of China’s culture are crucial pathways to addressing international communication challenges in the AI era.