Tracing Everyday AI Literacy Discussions at Scale: How Online Creative Communities Make Sense of Generative AI

TL;DR

This study analyzes 122,000 Reddit conversations over three years to understand how online creative communities organically develop AI literacy, revealing it as practice-driven and responsive to major AI events.

Contribution

It offers the first large-scale analysis of organic AI literacy discussions in creative communities, highlighting how discourse evolves with AI developments.

Findings

Creators focus on practical AI tool use and skills.

Discussions on AI ethics and capabilities spike around major events.

AI literacy is dynamic and context-dependent.

Abstract

Developing AI literacy is increasingly urgent as generative AI reshapes creative practice. Yet most AI literacy frameworks are top-down and expert-driven, overlooking how literacy emerges organically in creative communities. To address this gap, we performed a large-scale analysis of 122k Reddit conversations from 80 creative-oriented subreddits over a three-year period. Our analysis identified four consistent themes in AI literacy-related discussions, and we further traced how discourse shifted alongside major AI events. Surprisingly, creators primarily frame AI literacy around how to use tools effectively, foregrounding practice and task skills, while discussions of AI capabilities and ethics surge only around high-profile events. Our findings suggest that AI literacy is dynamic, practice-driven, and event-responsive rather than static or purely conceptual. This study provides insights for researchers, designers, and policymakers to develop learning resources, community support, and policies that better promote AI literacy in creative communities.