Authenticity in the Age of AI: The Mediating Role of Perceived Authenticity in the Relationship Between AI-Labeling and Initial Brand Trust

Sammanfattning

The rapid development and adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed the modern world. In the context of business, firms are increasingly integrating AI-generated content into their marketing strategies. The disclosure of AI-usage is also trending, whether its inclusion is due to increasing regulations or voluntary choice on the organization’s end. This is because the widespread usage of generative AI has sparked debates regarding transparency, meaning AI-usage disclosures are now both ethically and strategically relevant. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine how AI-labeled versus human-labeled marketing content influences consumers’ Initial Brand Trust (IBT). Furthermore, the study also investigated whether Perceived Authenticity (PA) mediates the relationship between content labeling and IBT. In order to investigate these topics, the study adopted a quantitative and explanatory research approach by using an experimental survey design. Specifically, two online surveys were distributed where the participants were exposed to either an AI-labeled advertisement (i.e. “Made by AI”) or a human-labeled advertisement (i.e. “Made by Humans”). The final sample consisted of exactly 120 respondents in total (meaning 60 participants per experimental condition). The collected data were then analyzed by using IBM SPSS Statistics through reliability analysis, descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests, Pearson correlation analysis and finally a mediation analysis by using Hayes’ PROCESS Macro (Model 4). The empirical results revealed statistically significant differences between the two conditions. The participants who were exposed to AI-labeled marketing content reported significantly lower levels of PA and IBT when compared to the participants who were exposed to the human-labeled marketing content. Moreover, the results showed a strong, positive relationship between PA and IBT. Most importantly, the mediation analysis showed that PA fully mediated the relationship between content labeling and IBT. This means that AI-labeling reduced consumers’ short-term trust toward the brand because the marketing content was perceived as being less authentic. Once PA was accounted for, the direct effect of content labeling on IBT was no longer statistically significant. These findings contribute to the growing academic literature on generative AI-usage in marketing and consumer behavior. The results identified PA as a central explanatory mechanism that underlies consumer reactions toward AI-labeled marketing content. Outside of academia, these findings have practical implications for firms and policymakers regarding AI-disclosure practices. In conclusion, the findings indicate that consumers still value perceived human involvement and authenticity when forming trust toward brands in an environment that is increasingly being driven by AI.