IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jbrese/v186y2025ics0148296324004880.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The AI-authorship effect: Understanding authenticity, moral disgust, and consumer responses to AI-generated marketing communications

Author

Listed:
  • Kirk, Colleen P.
  • Givi, Julian

Abstract

Seven preregistered experiments demonstrate that when consumers believe emotional marketing communications are written by an AI (vs. a human), positive word of mouth and customer loyalty are reduced. Drawing from authenticity theory, we show that this “AI-authorship effect” is attenuated for factual (vs. emotional) messages (Study 2); when an AI only edits the communication (Study 3); when a communication is signed directly by an AI (Study 4); and when consumers believe that most marketing communications are written by AI (Study WA1). Importantly, when consumers believe a communication is reused (i.e., not originally written by the sender), the effect is reversed (Study 6). This “AI-authorship effect” is serially mediated by perceived authenticity (Studies 5 and 6) and moral disgust (Studies 1–6 and WA1). These findings are evidenced using both personalized and mass communications, different emotions, businesses and organizational employees, and both hypothetical and behavioral measures.

Suggested Citation

  • Kirk, Colleen P. & Givi, Julian, 2025. "The AI-authorship effect: Understanding authenticity, moral disgust, and consumer responses to AI-generated marketing communications," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:186:y:2025:i:c:s0148296324004880
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2024.114984
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296324004880
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jbusres.2024.114984?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Song, Christina Soyoung & Kim, Youn-Kyung, 2022. "The role of the human-robot interaction in consumers’ acceptance of humanoid retail service robots," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 489-503.
    2. Giovanni Luca Cascio Rizzo & Jonah Berger & Matteo De Angelis & Rumen Pozharliev & Andrew T Stephen & Jacob Goldenberg, 2023. "How Sensory Language Shapes Influencer’s Impact," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 50(4), pages 810-825.
    3. Vlačić, Božidar & Corbo, Leonardo & Costa e Silva, Susana & Dabić, Marina, 2021. "The evolving role of artificial intelligence in marketing: A review and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 187-203.
    4. Romani, Simona & Grappi, Silvia & Dalli, Daniele, 2012. "Emotions that drive consumers away from brands: Measuring negative emotions toward brands and their behavioral effects," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 55-67.
    5. Colleen P Kirk & Joann Peck & Scott D Swain & Darren DahlEditor & Jennifer ArgoAssociate Editor, 2018. "Property Lines in the Mind: Consumers’ Psychological Ownership and Their Territorial Responses," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 45(1), pages 148-168.
    6. Yuping Liu-Thompkins & Shintaro Okazaki & Hairong Li, 2022. "Artificial empathy in marketing interactions: Bridging the human-AI gap in affective and social customer experience," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 50(6), pages 1198-1218, November.
    7. repec:oup:jecgeo:v:50:y:2023:i:2:p:382-404. is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Hermann, Erik & Puntoni, Stefano, 2024. "Artificial intelligence and consumer behavior: From predictive to generative AI," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    9. Liu, Jingshi (Joyce) & Dalton, Amy Nicole, 2024. "The inauthentic consumer: Consequences of self-inauthenticity for possession disposal," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    10. Markus Blut & Cheng Wang & Nancy V. Wünderlich & Christian Brock, 2021. "Understanding anthropomorphism in service provision: a meta-analysis of physical robots, chatbots, and other AI," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 49(4), pages 632-658, July.
    11. Esmark Jones, Carol L. & Hancock, Tyler & Kazandjian, Brett & Voorhees, Clay M., 2022. "Engaging the Avatar: The effects of authenticity signals during chat-based service recoveries," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 703-716.
    12. Liu, Dewen & Lv, Yiliang & Huang, Weidong, 2023. "How do consumers react to chatbots' humorous emojis in service failures," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    13. Napoli, Julie & Dickinson, Sonia J. & Beverland, Michael B. & Farrelly, Francis, 2014. "Measuring consumer-based brand authenticity," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(6), pages 1090-1098.
    14. Laura Schrier Rifkin & Colleen P Kirk & Canan Corus & J Jeffrey Inman & Andrew T Stephen & Sarah G Moore, 2023. "A Turn of the Tables: Psychological Contracts and Word of Mouth about Sharing Economy Platforms When Consumers Get Reviewed," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 50(2), pages 382-404.
    15. Kirk, Colleen P. & Peck, Joann & Hart, Claire M. & Sedikides, Constantine, 2022. "Just my luck: Narcissistic admiration and rivalry differentially predict word of mouth about promotional games," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 374-388.
    16. Xueming Luo & Siliang Tong & Zheng Fang & Zhe Qu, 2019. "Frontiers: Machines vs. Humans: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence Chatbot Disclosure on Customer Purchases," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 38(6), pages 937-947, November.
    17. Grappi, Silvia & Romani, Simona & Bagozzi, Richard P., 2013. "Consumer response to corporate irresponsible behavior: Moral emotions and virtues," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(10), pages 1814-1821.
    18. Lidan Xu & Ravi Mehta, 2022. "Technology devalues luxury? Exploring consumer responses to AI-designed luxury products," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 50(6), pages 1135-1152, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mari, Alex & Mandelli, Andreina & Algesheimer, René, 2024. "Empathic voice assistants: Enhancing consumer responses in voice commerce," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    2. Zhou, Cheng & Chang, Qian, 2024. "Informational or emotional? Exploring the relative effects of chatbots’ self-recovery strategies on consumer satisfaction," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    3. Leah Warfield Smith & Randall Lee Rose & Alex R. Zablah & Heath McCullough & Mohammad “Mike” Saljoughian, 2023. "Examining post-purchase consumer responses to product automation," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(3), pages 530-550, May.
    4. Mariani, Marcello M. & Hashemi, Novin & Wirtz, Jochen, 2023. "Artificial intelligence empowered conversational agents: A systematic literature review and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    5. Yang, Yikai & Zheng, Jiehui & Yu, Yining & Qiu, Yiling & Wang, Lei, 2024. "The role of recommendation sources and attribute framing in online product recommendations," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    6. Zhang, Yaqiong & Wang, Shifu, 2023. "The influence of anthropomorphic appearance of artificial intelligence products on consumer behavior and brand evaluation under different product types," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    7. Darima Fotheringham & Michael A. Wiles, 2023. "The effect of implementing chatbot customer service on stock returns: an event study analysis," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(4), pages 802-822, July.
    8. Mahmud, Hasan & Islam, A.K.M. Najmul & Ahmed, Syed Ishtiaque & Smolander, Kari, 2022. "What influences algorithmic decision-making? A systematic literature review on algorithm aversion," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    9. Antonetti, Paolo, 2020. "More than just a feeling: A research agenda for the study of consumer emotions following Corporate Social Irresponsibility (CSI)," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 67-70.
    10. Jana Holthöwer & Jenny Doorn, 2023. "Robots do not judge: service robots can alleviate embarrassment in service encounters," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(4), pages 767-784, July.
    11. Kamoonpuri, Sana Zehra & Sengar, Anita, 2023. "Hi, May AI help you? An analysis of the barriers impeding the implementation and use of artificial intelligence-enabled virtual assistants in retail," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    12. Brüns, Jasper David & Meißner, Martin, 2024. "Do you create your content yourself? Using generative artificial intelligence for social media content creation diminishes perceived brand authenticity," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    13. Chenyu Gu & Yu Zhang & Linhao Zeng, 2024. "Exploring the mechanism of sustained consumer trust in AI chatbots after service failures: a perspective based on attribution and CASA theories," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-12, December.
    14. Hingston, Sean T. & Whelan, Jodie, 2024. "What’s mine is mine, what’s yours is yours: Contamination concerns enhance psychological ownership," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    15. Chen Yang & Jing Hu, 2022. "When do consumers prefer AI-enabled customer service? The interaction effect of brand personality and service provision type on brand attitudes and purchase intentions," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 29(2), pages 167-189, March.
    16. Akrout, Houcine & Mrad, Mona, 2023. "Measuring brand hate in a cross-cultural context: Emic and Etic scale development and validation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    17. Mark Anthony Camilleri & Ciro Troise, 2023. "Live support by chatbots with artificial intelligence: A future research agenda," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 17(1), pages 61-80, March.
    18. Alex Mari & Andreina Mandelli & René Algesheimer, 2023. "Shopping with Voice Assistants: How Empathy Affects Individual and Family Decision-Making Outcomes," Working Papers 399, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).
    19. Janotta, Frederica & Hogreve, Jens, 2024. "Ready for take-off? The dual role of affective and cognitive evaluations in the adoption of Urban Air Mobility services," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    20. Aw, Eugene Cheng-Xi & Tan, Garry Wei-Han & Cham, Tat-Huei & Raman, Ramakrishnan & Ooi, Keng-Boon, 2022. "Alexa, what's on my shopping list? Transforming customer experience with digital voice assistants," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:186:y:2025:i:c:s0148296324004880. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jbusres .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.