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arXiv · 2506.14295

The Impact of Generative AI on Social Media: An Experimental Study

Anders Giovanni Møller·Daniel M. Romero·David Jurgens·Luca Maria Aiello
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Abstract

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are increasingly deployed across social media platforms, yet their implications for user behavior and experience remain understudied, particularly regarding two critical dimensions: (1) how AI tools affect the behaviors of content producers in a social media context, and (2) how content generated with AI assistance is perceived by users. To fill this gap, we conduct a controlled experiment with a representative sample of 680 U.S. participants in a realistic social media environment. The participants are randomly assigned to small discussion groups, each consisting of five individuals in one of five distinct experimental conditions: a control group and four treatment groups, each employing a unique AI intervention-chat assistance, conversation starters, feedback on comment drafts, and reply suggestions. Our findings highlight a complex duality: some AI-tools increase user engagement and volume of generated content, but at the same time decrease the perceived quality and authenticity of discussion, and introduce a negative spill-over effect on conversations. Based on our findings, we propose four design principles and recommendations aimed at social media platforms, policymakers, and stakeholders: ensuring transparent disclosure of AI-generated content, designing tools with user-focused personalization, incorporating context-sensitivity to account for both topic and user intent, and prioritizing intuitive user interfaces. These principles aim to guide an ethical and effective integration of generative AI into social media.

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Anders Giovanni Møller, Daniel M. Romero, David Jurgens, Luca Maria Aiello. 2025-06-17. The Impact of Generative AI on Social Media: An Experimental Study. https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.14295

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