Monster images in artificial intelligence generated film: evolution from myth to cyberspace

This paper explores how monsters are represented in artificial intelligence (AI)-generated films and how users respond to these representations. It proposes a seven-category classification system—anthropomorphic, ontomorphic, human/entity hybrid, entity/entity hybrid, cyber, undefined, and blended—to elucidate the visual characteristics of these films. Study 1 employs quantitative content analysis of AI-generated films ( n  = 927) published between January 2023 and August 2024 on Xiaohongshu (rednote), Bilibili, and X (formerly Twitter). The findings reveal that (1) 57% of the films feature monster images, (2) the frequency of these images has increased significantly over time, and (3) their visual and symbolic representations differ between Chinese and Western platforms. Study 2 uses sentiment analysis tools (TextBlob and SnowNLP) and TF-IDF methods to assess user comments ( n  = 12,854) from the same platforms. The results indicate that (1) user attitudes towards AI-generated monsters have become more positive over time, and (2) there are significant differences in sentiment between Chinese and Western users. Further, this article examines the interplay of inheritance, coexistence, and dynamic cycles between traditional and AI-generated monsters. It also analyses these phenomena via the lenses of posthumanism, technoethics, and regional cultural contexts—including aesthetic preferences, technical practices, religious beliefs and socio-political factors—to explain the findings from both studies. Overall, this research provides empirical evidence on the reception of AI-generated content (AIGC) across cultural settings. It offers insights into its aesthetic, cultural, and psychological dimensions while charting emerging trends in the evolution of monster imagery from myth to cyberspace.