Abbas Rashid Butt1, Laiba Abbas Butt2, Rizwan Ahmad3, Nameem Ullah Tariq4 and Azhar ul Haq Wahid, Punjab University, Pakistan

Artificial intelligence has become a central force in global digital communications, shaping public discourse through algorithmic mediation and hybrid influence practices. Employing a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, this study examines how AI-mediated systems organize knowledge, influence perception, and facilitate the strategic dissemination of content. Qualitative analysis reveals that expert discourse is dominated by frequent concerns related to ethics, law, privacy and bias, as well as references to AI and algorithms, revealing governance tensions within AI-powered communication infrastructures. Operational impact is expressed primarily through procedural mechanisms, while limited emphasis is placed on explicit strategic interventions. Socio-political dimensions emerge through repeated references to people, policy and power, highlighting the institutional embeddedness of AI systems. Sentiment analysis indicates mainly neutral evaluations with cautious optimism and critical concern. A quantitative survey of 168 university students from China, Pakistan, and Spain reveals a stronger relationship between algorithmic awareness, perceived bias, narrative manipulation, and democratic resilience in China and Pakistan than in Spain. Overall, the findings demonstrate that AI-mediated systems function not only as technological tools but also as powerful mechanisms of narrative construction, governance, and social regulation, with implications for ethical oversight and democratic resilience.

Artificial Intelligence (AI), Algorithmic Mediation, Hybrid Warfare, Digital Governance; Mixed-Methods; Cross-National Survey