This Video Was Made by AI—Does That Make You Click More or Less?
Does telling viewers that a short-form video was made by AI help or hurt engagement? In a world where social feeds are increasingly algorithmic and AI-generated content blends seamlessly with human creativity, a new study uncovers a surprising paradox: disclosure can boost user engagement, even as it undermines perceived quality in the content itself.
Every day, millions of people indulge in short-form content that leaves lasting impressions. As AI tools continue to develop, creators can generate content with unprecedented efficiency. However, potential copyright infringements and other ethical concerns have caused some countries to adopt rules requiring creators to disclose AI usage.
While past research on AI disclosure has yielded mixed results regarding audience reception, its influence on short-form content has not yet been studied. In “AI in the Spotlight: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence Disclosure on User Engagement in Short-Form Videos,” researchers Hao Chen, Pingping Wang, and Shuaikang Hao investigate exactly that. Using an online experiment with nearly 500 participants, they explore how AI disclosure shapes viewers’ willingness to engage, and what psychological mechanisms might explain their reactions.
About the Author
Samantha Lau
Samantha graduated from the University of Toronto, majoring in psychology and criminology. During her undergraduate degree, she studied how mindfulness meditation impacted human memory which sparked her interest in cognition. Samantha is curious about the way behavioural science impacts design, particularly in the UX field. As she works to make behavioural science more accessible with The Decision Lab, she is preparing to start her Master of Behavioural and Decision Sciences degree at the University of Pennsylvania. In her free time, you can catch her at a concert or in a dance studio.
