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Abby Melville

The Rise of Generative AI Resistance: A Technopanic Perspective

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Hi, I’m Abby Melville, a fifth-year Bachelor of Arts student in Professional Communications with a minor in Public Relations. I am currently working as a Social Media Team Lead for Signify–our end-of-year event, helping to develop and execute digital communications strategies. Beyond my academic experience, I’ve applied my skills in both non-profit organizations and locally owned businesses, gaining hands-on experience in content creation, branding, and community engagement.

This research explores whether resistance to generative AI reflects technopanic or legitimate critique. It identifies three types of concerns—material, symbolic, and risk-based—all of which follow a fear appeal structure that frames AI as harmful and promotes avoidance or regulation. While material and risk-based concerns are grounded in real impacts, symbolic concerns most strongly reflect technopanic thinking. Overall, the study argues that AI resistance exists between valid concerns and fear-driven narratives, and that overemphasis on fear may discourage informed engagement and more constructive responses.

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