Persuasion in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI): Theories and Complications of AI-Based Persuasion

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) has profound implications for both communication and persuasion. We consider how AI complicates and promotes rethinking of persuasion theory and research. We define AI-based persuasion as a symbolic process in which a communicative-AI entity generates, augments, or modifies a message—designed to convince people to shape, reinforce, or change their responses—that is transmitted to human receivers. We review theoretical perspectives useful for studying AI-based persuasion—the Computers Are Social Actors (CASA) paradigm, the Modality, Agency, Interactivity, and Navigability (MAIN) model, and the heuristic-systematic model of persuasion—to explicate how differences in AI complicate persuasion in two ways. First, thin AI exhibits few (if any) machinic (i.e., AI) cues, social cues might be available, and communication is limited and indirect. Second, thick AI exhibits ample machinic and social cues, AI presence is obvious, and communication is direct and interactive. We suggest avenues for future research in each case.

Striking an Emotional Chord: Effects of Emotional Appeals and Chatbot Anthropomorphism on Persuasive Science Communication

“…In a nutshell, the two studies answer the recent call for research in applying advanced communication technologies to persuasive communication and investigating the interplay between message features and technological variables to influence persuasion (Dehnert & Mongeau, 2022). The results contribute to the body of literature on both human–chatbot interaction and persuasion by offering the first examination of the persuasiveness of emotional appeals from a chatbot.…”

ChatGPT and consumers: Benefits, Pitfalls and Future Research Agenda

“…The research could be grounded by TPB (Mariani et al, 2022) or UTAUT2 (Gansser & Reich, 2021), theories of persuasion (Dehnert & Mongeau, 2022), social influence (Aw et al, 2022), masstige (Paul, 2018, 2019), other consumer decision‐making theories (Tian et al, 2016) and brand perception (Kliestik et al, 2022). These theories could help to identify the factors that influence consumer behaviour and how ChatGPT‐generated responses may impact these factors.…”

“…Theories of human–computer interaction (e.g., Nicolescu & Tudorache, 2022) can guide the design of effective user interfaces. Theories of communication (e.g., Guzman & Lewis, 2020) and persuasion (Dehnert & Mongeau, 2022) can help understand how ChatGPT can be used to communicate effectively with users. Additionally, UTAUT2 (Gansser & Reich, 2021) can be used to examine the factors that influence users' adoption and use of ChatGPT.…”

Rethinking Communication in the Era of Artificial Intelligence: An HCR Special Issue

“…The special issue features work on AI in a variety of contexts. Topics involve persuasion (Dehnert and Mongeau, 2022), personal relationships (Brandtzaeg et al, 2022), and organizational communication (Endacott and Leonardi, 2022; Laapotti and Raappana, 2022) as well as partisan news coverage about health topics (Duan et al, 2022). A variety of methods were employed in these studies such as experiments (Banas et al, 2022), computational methods (Duan et al, 2022), and ethnographic interviewing and observation (Endacott and Leonardi, 2022).…”