Who is Feeding Whom? A Linguistic Inquiry into Human–AI Relationship

Abstract

The study investigates the evolving linguistic dynamics between humans and artificial intelligence (AI) by asking the central question: Who feeds whom? The research examines two key data sources through a discourse-analytic approach: real world human–AI interactions and AI-related discourse in public and corporate domains. Six recurring themes emerged: AI as Helper/Assistant, Human as Data Feeder, AI as Expert/Advisor, AI Anthropomorphized, Ambiguous Agency, and Human Deference to AI. This revealed a complex, bidirectional relationship shaped through language. While corporate discourse positions humans as data providers who “feed” and “train” AI, user interactions suggest a reversal, wherein AI increasingly supplies language, advice, and authority that users readily adopt. This linguistic inversion challenges traditional notions of control and authorship. The study also identifies a troubling ambiguity around agency, with users and developers attributing quasi-human traits and decision-making capacity to AI systems. Anthropomorphism and discursive deference further entrench AI as a credible, even empathetic, interlocutor. Language emerges as the mirror and engine of this relationship, shaping user expectations, reinforcing power dynamics, and influencing communicative norms. The findings highlight the urgent need for discursive transparency in AI design, critical literacy in user education, and expanded ethical frameworks that account for language as a form of soft power. Ultimately, this inquiry argues that understanding human–AI relationships requires more than technical literacy; it demands critical awareness of the linguistic structures through which these relationships are constructed, negotiated, and sustained. The metaphorical question—Who is feeding whom?—invites ongoing reflection on power, trust, and authorship in the age of AI.