The sources focus on a study exploring consumer perceptions of AI involvement in the creative process across various product types. The study measured consumer reactions through three experiments, investigating:
- The impact of AI involvement on consumer perceptions and purchase intentions for books and canvas prints [1, 2].
- The effectiveness of additional product information in mitigating perceived risks associated with AI-created e-books [2, 3].
- The role of outcome visibility in shaping consumer responses to canvas prints authored by artists or AI [3-5].
Key Findings
The study showed that disclosing AI involvement negatively impacts consumer perception, especially regarding authenticity and risk, across all product types [6]. This resulted in lower willingness to purchase AI-generated products [7]. Specifically, the study found:
- Consumers perceive products hinted to be AI-created as less authentic, original, and valuable than those attributed to human creators [8-19].
- AI-authored products are associated with higher financial and performance risks [8, 9, 15, 20, 21].
- Providing detailed product information, including summaries, reviews, and sample chapters, did not significantly change consumer perceptions or mitigate the negative impact of AI authorship cues [22-25].
- For canvas prints, the visibility of the final product significantly reduced perceived risks and enhanced willingness to pay, especially when the artist was human. However, AI involvement still negatively impacted perceived effort even when the outcome was clearly visible [20, 21, 26-32].
Moderating Factors: Trust and Familiarity
The study revealed that consumer trust in AI and familiarity with AI-generated content could moderate the negative impacts of AI involvement [33].
- Higher trust in AI resulted in increased willingness to purchase AI-authored products and mitigated perceived risks [34, 35].
- Consumers who frequently interact with AI-generated content exhibited lower perceived financial risks associated with AI-authored products [36, 37].
Implications for Marketers and Business Owners
Based on these findings, here are some implications for those seeking to market AI-generated products:
- Transparency is crucial, but emphasize human involvement. While transparency about the use of AI is important, marketers should focus on emphasizing the human element in the creation process [38, 39]. This could involve highlighting the role of human designers, editors, or curators, framing AI as a tool that enhances human creativity rather than replacing it.
- Build trust in AI. The study’s findings suggest that trust in AI is paramount for wider acceptance of AI-generated products [40]. Marketers should invest in educational initiatives that demystify AI, highlighting its benefits and addressing common concerns about its capabilities and limitations [39]. This could involve showcasing success stories, providing clear explanations of how AI is used, and engaging in open dialogues about ethical considerations.
- Leverage familiarity. Consumers who are more familiar with AI-generated content tend to perceive lower risks [40]. Marketers should explore strategies to increase consumer exposure to AI-generated products in positive and engaging ways [41]. This could involve offering free trials, providing interactive demos, or collaborating with influencers who can showcase the value and creativity of AI-generated content.
- Focus on authenticity. Given the consumer concerns about the authenticity of AI-generated products [42, 43], marketers should actively work to enhance the perceived genuineness of these products. This could involve emphasizing the uniqueness of the AI’s creative process, highlighting the product’s originality, or aligning the product with established human values and cultural contexts.
- Personalize the marketing approach. Marketers should tailor their strategies based on the specific product type and target audience [39]. For example, marketing AI-generated art might require a different approach compared to marketing AI-written content. Understanding the specific concerns and expectations of different consumer segments will enable marketers to develop more effective messaging and communication strategies.
Moving Forward
The integration of AI into creative industries is still in its early stages, and consumer attitudes are likely to evolve as AI technology advances and becomes more ubiquitous [44]. By understanding the current perceptions and concerns surrounding AI authorship, marketers and business owners can proactively develop strategies to mitigate potential negative biases and effectively leverage AI’s creative potential. Continued research is needed to monitor these evolving dynamics and explore new ways to foster trust and acceptance of AI-generated products. [45]
References:
Kučinskas, G. (2024). Negative Effects of Revealing AI Involvement in Products: Mediation by Authenticity and Risk, Moderation by Trust in AI and Familiarity with AI. International Journal of Intelligent Systems and Applications in Engineering, Vol. 12(No. 22s (2024)), 1530–1547. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13337499