It’s probably a mix of both, plus the normal cycle of online discourse. As AI tools become more common, you naturally get more people defending them, evangelizing them, or reacting against criticism. Some are genuinely enthusiastic users. Some are industry-adjacent people pushing narratives. Some are just contrarians who enjoy provoking anti-AI spaces.
On federated platforms like Lemmy, a small number of highly active users can also create the impression of a broader cultural shift. Repetitive framing like “people are irrationally afraid of AI” often comes from the same internet optimism culture that treated crypto, NFTs, and “disruption” as inevitable progress.
That said, there is also a real backlash to constant doomposting. Some users are tired of seeing every AI discussion framed exclusively around collapse, theft, or dehumanization, so they overcorrect in the other direction.
Your instincts are not unreasonable though. Coordinated narrative shaping absolutely exists online, especially around technologies tied to massive corporate investment.