The introductory chapter establishes the guiding thread of the volume, examining the utopian and dystopian framings of AI in the media across diverse geopolitical and cultural contexts through the lens of media discourse studies. It conceives artificial intelligence not as a singular technical object but as a socio-technical and discursive phenomenon whose meanings are shaped through language, culture, and relations of power. The chapter provides a concise review of current scholarly debates on the societal impact of AI, offers a definition of AI, and traces its genealogy beyond Western narratives. It also introduces the volume’s three main arcs: (1) metaphors and symbolic narratives; (2) governmentality and ideology; and (3) collective imaginaries, examining how diverse cultural contexts envision, contest, and materialise AI in everyday life.