AI vs. human-generated content and accounts on Instagram: User preferences, evaluations, and ethical considerations

As content generated by artificial intelligence (AI) has become more accessible and higher quality, social debates have intensified. Therefore, this study investigates how people perceive and evaluate AI-generated content and accounts compared to human-created accounts and content. We created Instagram accounts representing AI, influencers, and the public and conducted a user study with 43 participants. The participants had difficulty distinguishing AI accounts from human ones. Moreover, there were significant differences in user perceptions concerning the three account types. Participants perceived the AI and influencer accounts as more attractive than the public account, and they rated the quality of AI-generated content as highly as that created by influencers. These findings suggest that the advancement of generative AI could alter the social media landscape and contribute to discussions on the characteristics and ethical problems of AI-generated content.