{"title":"AI vs. human-generated content and accounts on Instagram: User preferences, evaluations, and ethical considerations","authors":"Jeongeun Park , Changhoon Oh , Ha Young Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2024.102705","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>As content generated by artificial intelligence (AI) has become more accessible and higher quality, social debates have intensified. Therefore, this study investigates how people perceive and evaluate AI-generated content and accounts compared to human-created accounts and content. We created Instagram accounts representing AI, influencers, and the public and conducted a user study with 43 participants. The participants had difficulty distinguishing AI accounts from human ones. Moreover, there were significant differences in user perceptions concerning the three account types. Participants perceived the AI and influencer accounts as more attractive than the public account, and they rated the quality of AI-generated content as highly as that created by influencers. These findings suggest that the advancement of generative AI could alter the social media landscape and contribute to discussions on the characteristics and ethical problems of AI-generated content.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"79 ","pages":"Article 102705"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1000,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Technology in Society","FirstCategoryId":"90","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160791X24002537","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"SOCIAL ISSUES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
As content generated by artificial intelligence (AI) has become more accessible and higher quality, social debates have intensified. Therefore, this study investigates how people perceive and evaluate AI-generated content and accounts compared to human-created accounts and content. We created Instagram accounts representing AI, influencers, and the public and conducted a user study with 43 participants. The participants had difficulty distinguishing AI accounts from human ones. Moreover, there were significant differences in user perceptions concerning the three account types. Participants perceived the AI and influencer accounts as more attractive than the public account, and they rated the quality of AI-generated content as highly as that created by influencers. These findings suggest that the advancement of generative AI could alter the social media landscape and contribute to discussions on the characteristics and ethical problems of AI-generated content.
期刊介绍:
Technology in Society is a global journal dedicated to fostering discourse at the crossroads of technological change and the social, economic, business, and philosophical transformation of our world. The journal aims to provide scholarly contributions that empower decision-makers to thoughtfully and intentionally navigate the decisions shaping this dynamic landscape. A common thread across these fields is the role of technology in society, influencing economic, political, and cultural dynamics. Scholarly work in Technology in Society delves into the social forces shaping technological decisions and the societal choices regarding technology use. This encompasses scholarly and theoretical approaches (history and philosophy of science and technology, technology forecasting, economic growth, and policy, ethics), applied approaches (business innovation, technology management, legal and engineering), and developmental perspectives (technology transfer, technology assessment, and economic development). Detailed information about the journal's aims and scope on specific topics can be found in Technology in Society Briefings, accessible via our Special Issues and Article Collections.