Malcolm Meli graduated with a Master of Science in Strategic Management and Digital Marketing from the Faculty of Economics, Management, and Accountancy at the University of Malta
Over the past years, generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed content creation, ranging from writing and marketing copy to music composition and filmmaking. AI-generated content is already being used to generate video scripts, compose music, write novels and articles, and create digital art.
However, are consumers interested in accepting AI-generated content? More importantly, would they pay for it? These were the core questions I explored in my dissertation. Specifically, my research focused on how consumer perceptions and personality traits influence both the acceptance and willingness to pay (WTP) for AI-generated content, particularly in literature.
As AI continues to evolve, more people and businesses are relying on it for both daily tasks and professional work. However, as highlighted in my study, consumer scepticism remains a major hurdle in the adoption of AI-generated content. After all, content exists to serve, engage, and resonate with its audience, and if that audience is hesitant, then, its impact is diminished.
From existing literature, I found that many consumers perceive AI-generated content as lacking human creativity, emotion and authenticity, qualities normally associated with the traditional human author. However, I wanted to understand whether these perceptions actually influence consumer behaviour. To better understand this, I conducted a study with 224 participants, analysing:
- How consumers react to AI-generated vs human-authored content;
- Whether people can distinguish AI-generated writing from that which is humanly written; and
- How personality traits affect trust, interest, and WTP.
The study revealed that consumer perceptions on AI-generated content have a complex relationship between interest and scepticism. While many participants showed interest in AI-generated content, their WTP for it remained low. This did not change even when the quality of the AI-generated writing was comparable to human-authored content, as respondents still hesitated to view it as equally valuable. Thus, this illustrates that consumers do not care how high-quality the content is, but rather the trust that they put in its creative authenticity, of it being made by a human being.
Another interesting key finding emerged when participants were asked to distinguish between AI-generated and humanly written content. A significant number misidentified the AI-generated text as being humanly written, and vice versa, suggesting that AI has reached a stage where its work is good enough to mimic the human voice. However, despite this result, many respondents who believed the AI-generated content was written by a human, initially indicated that they would have been willing to pay for it. Yet, when separately asked about their WTP for AI-generated content in general, they stated they would not pay for it. This continues to bolster my previous claim that the perception of AI authorship, not the quality of the content, influences WTP.
Personality traits, however, are also an important factor that play a crucial role in shaping attitudes towards AI-generated content. Participants with higher openness to new experiences were significantly more receptive to AI-generated content, and were more willing to pay for it. Conversely, respondents who were more cautious and exhibited more traditional preferences, leaned towards human-authored works.
For businesses, these findings illustrate both the challenges and opportunities in AI-content creation. While AI can produce high-quality and engaging work, consumer scepticism remains a major obstacle, especially when it comes to monetising this form of content. To bridge this gap, businesses should focus on building trust by clearly stating the AI’s role in content creation, thus maintaining transparency. Furthermore, AI-generated content should provide real value to the audience. This can be done by using AI as a tool to assist with planning campaigns, generating ideas for tailored products, and refining content by improving grammar and coherence.
As GenAI use becomes more common, its success and acceptance will depend on how businesses handle consumer concerns. If companies position AI as a complement to human creativity rather than a replacement, they are likely to build trust and greater acceptance. The key is finding the right balance between innovation and authenticity, being both genuine and useful, so people can grow to trust and accept it over time.
This article is a summary of the student’s dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of a Master of Science degree in Strategic Management & Digital Marketing / Marketing. The article is not officially endorsed by the University of Malta. The opinions expressed therein are solely those of the respective alumni and may not reflect those of the University of Malta.
