AI- vs Human-Generated Interface Design in a Culturally Specific Context : An Experimental Study of Trust and Perceived Cultural Authenticity

Sammanfattning

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are increasingly being used across different fields, including design, as they can support efficiency and reduce the time required for certain tasks. However, cultural representation remains an important aspect that has been less examined in relation to the use of AI systems for generating designs connected to specific cultural contexts. This raises the question of whether AI tools are able to produce outputs that users perceive as culturally authentic to the same extent as human-designed work. This study compares an AI-generated interface with a human-designed interface in the context of a Somali restaurant website, focusing on examining perceived cultural authenticity and trust in the two interfaces. The study used a mixed-methods approach with 14 participants from a Somali cultural background. All participants interacted with both interfaces, exploring each interface one at a time while performing a think-aloud task. This was followed by questionnaires adapted from validated scales measuring perceived cultural authenticity and trust, as well as interviews to gain deeper insights into participants’ perceptions. The quantitative findings showed higher perceived authenticity and trust for the human-designed interface compared to the AI-generated interface; however, no statistically significant differences were found. In addition, the qualitative findings showed that the human-designed interface was perceived as more culturally authentic, representative of Somali culture, and emotionally familiar. Cultural elements such as colours, patterns, language, proverbs, food imagery, and culturally relevant images were mentioned by participants as aspects that shaped authenticity. Trust, however, was similar across both interfaces, as both were perceived as professional and legitimate by the participants. Overall, the study suggests that AI-generated interfaces can appear trustworthy and professional, but human cultural knowledge and input remain important when designing culturally meaningful digital experiences in specific cultural contexts, such as restaurant websites.