Updating McLuhan: AI and its mental, sociological, and artistic consequences

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24137/raeic.13.25.2

Keywords:

McLuhan, artificial intelligence, media theory, cognition, creativity, global village, digital amnesia, algorithmic culture, posthumanism

Abstract

This study critically updates Marshall McLuhan’s media theory to analyze the mental, sociological, and artistic effects of generative artificial intelligence, understood as a radical cognitive extension that reconfigures perception, identity, and cultural production. A qualitative approach based on comparative conceptual analysis is employed. Foundational texts by McLuhan are examined in dialogue with recent scholarship in neuroscience, algorithmic sociology, and computational creativity studies. McLuhan’s tetrad is systematically applied as an interpretative framework. Findings indicate that AI externalizes cognitive processes such as synthesis and writing, enhancing efficiency while activating the Law of Reversal. Risks of digital amnesia, cognitive sedentarism, and the erosion of deep reading are identified. Sociologically, the “global village” evolves into algorithmic fragmentation and a surveillance capitalism model. In the artistic domain, authorship becomes decentralized and creativity is redefined in terms of statistical recombination. AI emerges as a structural media environment whose efficiency may reverse into intellectual dependency and conformism. The study underscores the need for anticipatory governance and renewed critical media literacy to safeguard human agency.

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Author Biographies

  • Dra. Almudena Barrientos-Báez, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
    Faculty of Information Sciences and former Advisor to the Vice-Rectorate for Research and Transfer, supporting the development of lines of action at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM). PhD with international distinction (Cum Laude) in Education (Camilo José Cela University). She was the Director of the Master's Degree in Teacher Training (European University of Madrid). Master's degree in Protocol Management, Production, Organization, and Event Design - Communication area - (Camilo José Cela University) and Master's degree in Tourist Accommodation Management (University of Girona). Bachelor's degree in Tourism (University of La Laguna) and Diploma in Teaching (University of Valencia). Member (Academic) of the Academy of Television and Audiovisual Arts and Sciences. Research areas: Neuromarketing, Neurocommunication, Leadership, Gender, Social Networks, Communication, Public Relations, and ICT. This project is part of the Public Audiovisual Media in the Platform Ecosystem: Management and Evaluation Models of Public Value as a Reference for Spain, funded by the MCIN, AEI and FEDER, EU. Ministry of Science and Innovation. PI1 Miguel Túñez and PI2 Francisco Campos. Member of the Communication and Education Office Team. Department of Journalism and Communication Sciences of the UAB and of the CONCILIUM research group (931.791).
  • Dr. Juan Manuel Barceló-Sánchez, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)

    Lecturer in the Department of Journalism and New Media at the Faculty of Information Sciences of the Complutense University of Madrid. Through the Erasmus Program, she has participated in teaching stays and experiences at other European universities, such as the University of Milan (Italy), the Libera Università Maria SS. Assunta in Vatican City, and Kazimeras Simovicius University in Vilnius (Lithuania). She has also developed research projects during stays at other universities, such as the University Center of the Americas in Veracruz (Mexico). She has participated in several national and international conferences, either as a presenter or as a member of the Scientific or Organizing Committees.

     

    She has an extensive professional career in media, with more than 23 years as a professional at the Vocento Group, where she led projects such as the launch of the digital version of the prestigious newspaper ABC.

     

    He holds a PhD Cum Laude from the Doctoral Program in Journalism at the Complutense University of Madrid, where he obtained his Bachelor's degree in Information Sciences - Journalism Branch in 1999. He is an active member of the research group Dialectical Mediation of Social Communication, rated Excellent (MDCS), and rated as a group of Excellence (Complutense University / Community of Madrid).

  • Dr. David Caldevilla-Domínguez, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)

    Professor. Graduate and Doctor in Information Sciences (Audiovisual Communication from the U. Complutense). Diploma in Teaching (U. of Zaragoza). Professor at the Faculty of Information Sciences at the UCM. Teacher at: U. Complutense, European U. of Madrid, IED, ESERP and IPAM (Oporto-Portugal-).

    Secretary General of the SEECI (Spanish Society for Ibero-American Communication Studies), of the History of Information Systems and of the “International Forum of Communication and Public Relations”.

    Principal Investigator (PI) of the Complutense Research Group 'Concilium'. Author of more than 150 scientific articles and 6 books: Asturias and La Rioja, a common history, The Spielberg seal, Culture and PR, PR Manual, PR and its foundation and The internal face of business communication. Director of 7 doctoral theses (2 with European mention).

    Member of scientific committees in numerous international scientific conferences and journals. Speaker at more than 90 international conferences. Guest signature in various publications and radio talk show.

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Published

2026-02-27

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 25 (2026): Issue 25

Section

Miscellaneous

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Almudena Barrientos-Báez, Juan Manuel Barceló-Sánchez, David Caldevilla-Domínguez

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Updating McLuhan: AI and its mental, sociological, and artistic consequences. (2026). Revista De La Asociación Española De Investigación De La Comunicación, 13(25). https://doi.org/10.24137/raeic.13.25.2