Search Conferences

Type in any word, words or author name. This searchs through the abstract title, keywords and abstract text and authors. You may search all conferences or just select one conference.


 All Conferences
 EMAC 2019 Annual Conference
 EMAC 2020 Annual Conference
 EMAC 2020 Regional Conference
 EMAC 2021 Annual Conference
 EMAC 2021 Regional Conference
 EMAC 2022 Annual
 EMAC 2022 Regional Conference
 EMAC 2023 Annual
 EMAC 2023 Regional Conference
 EMAC 2024 Annual
 EMAC 2024 Regional Conference

EMAC 2024 Annual


Virtual vs human influencers: Can Instagram users detect the difference?
(A2024-119864)

Published: May 28, 2024

AUTHORS

Danielle Barbe, Northumbria University; Alyaa Darwish, Northumbria University; Aleksandra Maricak, Trip.com

ABSTRACT

With AI influencers mimicking the characteristics and features of human influencers, "the distinction between human and virtual agents is growing smaller" (Seymore et al., 2019, p. 778). While some recent research has examined the impacts of virtual compared to human influencers, these studies have not considered that consumers may not be able to distinguish between human and AI influencers and how this lack of recognition may alter their response to influencer content. Therefore, this study examined whether consumers can distinguish between an AI and human influencer, and the factors the may aid participants in this distinction. Findings from a quantitative survey found that participants have difficulty distinguishing whether an influencer is virtual or not. Demographics, behaviours, nor the characteristics of the photos had significant impacts on the ability to identify whether the influencer was AI or human.