Influence of AI and Digital Media Trends, Algorithms, and Big Data on Media Studies

Abstract

The rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI), algorithmic systems, and big data technologies has fundamentally reshaped the landscape of media studies. This paper examines how these intertwined technological forces have transformed media production, distribution, consumption, and scholarly inquiry. Drawing on peer-reviewed literature spanning communication theory, data science, and critical media studies, the paper explores the role of recommendation algorithms in shaping audience behaviour, the deployment of AI-driven tools in journalism and content moderation, and the ethical implications of datafied media environments. The analysis further addresses the epistemological challenges these developments pose for media scholars, including questions of transparency, bias, and the commodification of attention. The paper concludes that media studies must evolve its methodological toolkit and theoretical frameworks to critically engage with an increasingly algorithmic and data-driven media ecosystem. A cross-disciplinary approach integrating computational methods with humanistic inquiry is proposed as essential to understanding and critiquing contemporary media dynamics.