Constructing Artificial Intelligence in Indonesian Universities' Official News: A Critical Discourse Analysis

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a central topic in higher education, influencing teaching, research, and institutional development. While previous studies have primarily examined AI from technological, pedagogical, and ethical perspectives, limited attention has been given to how AI is discursively constructed through institutional communication. This study investigates the discursive construction of AI in official news published by selected Indonesian universities. Employing a qualitative research design, the study applies Fairclough's (1995) Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) framework to analyze official news articles from Universitas Indonesia, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Universitas Airlangga, and Universitas Negeri Makassar. The analysis focuses on three interconnected dimensions: textual analysis, discursive practice, and social practice. The findings reveal four dominant discourses that shape the representation of AI: AI as educational innovation, AI as institutional excellence, AI as future competence, and AI as responsible and collaborative technology. Linguistically, these discourses are realized through positive evaluative vocabulary, future-oriented lexical choices, and institutional narratives emphasizing innovation, research, collaboration, and digital transformation. The study argues that official university news functions not only as a medium for disseminating information but also as an institutional discourse that legitimizes AI adoption and constructs universities as innovative, future-oriented, and globally competitive institutions. The findings contribute to Critical Discourse Analysis by demonstrating how institutional communication actively shapes public understanding of emerging technologies within higher education. Furthermore, this study highlights the importance of examining official university news as a strategic site where technological meanings, institutional identities, and educational ideologies are negotiated through language.