(ANN ARBOR, MI) Two new experiments show that most people do not even consider that a personal message could be AI-generated, even when they themselves use artificial intelligence to write.
To see how people judge someone based on their writing in the age of ChatGPT, my colleague Jiaqi Zhu and I recruited more than 1,300 U.S.-based participants, ages 18 to 84, and showed them AI-generated messages like an apology sent in an email. We split our volunteers into four groups: Some people saw the messages with no information about who or what wrote them, as in everyday life. Others were told the messages were definitely written by a human, definitely AI-generated, or that the source could be either.
k7:8FC6mk:>8 2=ElQp E6IE >6DD286 AC6D6?E:?8 2? 2A@=@8J 86?6C2E65 3J px]Q DC4lQ9EEADi^^:>286D]E964@?G6CD2E:@?]4@>^7:=6D^faehbc^@C:8:?2=^7:=6\a_ae_bah\eb\:8A5;c]A?8n:I=:3lC3\c]`]_U2>AjBlcdU2>Aj2FE@l7@C>2EU2>AjHlc__U2>Aj7:El4=:AQ ^mk7:842AE:@?mp? px\86?6C2E65 7:4E:@?2= 2A@=@8J D6?E G:2 E6IE H2D @?6 @7 E96 >6DD286D A2CE:4:A2?ED 6G2=F2E65 :? 2 C646?E DEF5J] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]D4:6?465:C64E]4@>^D4:6?46^2CE:4=6^A::^$_fcfdebaae___aehQm+9F U2>Aj |@=?2C Wa_aeXk^2mk^7:842AE:@?mk^7:8FC6m
kAm(6 7@F?5 2 4=62C “k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^3692G:@C2=E:>6D]4@>^2:\5:D4=@DFC6\A6?2=EJ^Qmpx 5:D4=@DFC6 A6?2=EJk^2m]” (96? A6@A=6 <?6H 2 >6DD286 H2D px\86?6C2E65[ E96J C2E65 E96 D6?56C >F49 >@C6 ?682E:G6=J – “=2KJ[” “:?D:?46C6[” “=24< @7 677@CE” – E92? H96? E96J 36=:6G65 E92E E96 D2>6 E6IE H2D HC:EE6? 3J 2 A6CD@? – “86?F:?6[” “8C2E67F=[” “E9@F89E7F=]”k^Am
kAmqFE 96C6 :D E96 EH:DEi %96 A2CE:4:A2?ED H9@ H6C6 ?@E E@=5 2?JE9:?8 23@FE 2FE9@CD9:A 7@C>65 :>AC6DD:@?D E92E H6C6 ;FDE 2D A@D:E:G6 2D E9@D6 7C@> A6@A=6 H9@ H6C6 E@=5 E96 >6DD286D H6C6 86?F:?6=J 9F>2?]k^Am
kAm%9:D 4@>A=6E6 =24< @7 D<6AE:4:D> DFCAC:D65 FD – 2?5 :E C2:D6D ?6H BF6DE:@?D] |2J36 A2CE:4:A2?ED H6C6 ?@E 72>:=:2C 6?@F89 H:E9 px E@ C62=:K6 E92E E@52J’D >@56=D 42? AC@5F46 56E2:=65 2?5 A6CD@?2= >6DD286D] Wk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]G@I]4@>^7FEFC6\A6C764E^cgbhcg^8>2:=\D>2CE\C6A=:6D\2:\4@?D4:@FD?6DDQm%96J 42?k^2m]X ~C A6C92AD A2CE:4:A2?ED 92G6 ?6G6C FD65 px E96>D6=G6D] Wk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^5@:]@C8^`_]`agf^>?D4]a_ad]_adabQm%96J =:<6=J 92G6k^2m]X $@ H6 2=D@ E6DE65 H96E96C A2CE:4:A2?ED’ @H? px FD6 492?865 9@H E96J ;F5865 D6?56CD]k^Am
kAm%@ @FC 6G6? 3:886C DFCAC:D6[ H6 7@F?5 =:EE=6 E@ ?@ 67764E] !6@A=6 H9@ FD6 86?6C2E:G6 px BF:E6 7C6BF6?E=J :? E96:C 52:=J =:G6D – 2E =62DE 6G6CJ @E96C 52J – 5:5 A6?2=:K6 px FD6 D=:89E=J =6DD H96? px 2FE9@CD9:A H2D 5:D4=@D65[ 4@>A2C65 H:E9 A6@A=6 H9@ ?6G6C @C C2C6=J FD6 px] qFE A2CE:4:A2?ED H6C6 ?@ >@C6 D<6AE:42= 3J 5672F=Ei (96? 2FE9@CD9:A H2D ?@E 5:D4=@D65[ 962GJ px FD6CD[ =:89E px FD6CD 2?5 ?@?FD6CD 2== E6?565 E@ 2DDF>6 E96 E6IE H2D HC:EE6? 3J 2 A6CD@? 2?5 7@C>65 6DD6?E:2==J E96 D2>6 :>AC6DD:@?D]k^Am
k7:8FC6mk:>8 2=ElQp H@C5 4=@F5 D9@H:?8 H@C5D E92E 56D4C:36 9@H A6@A=6 C625:?8 E6IE >6DD286D 76=E]Q DC4lQ9EEADi^^:>286D]E964@?G6CD2E:@?]4@>^7:=6D^faehbe^@C:8:?2=^7:=6\a_ae_bah\eb\`@hIbK]A?8n:I=:3lC3\c]`]_U2>AjBlcdU2>Aj2FE@l7@C>2EU2>AjHlfc_U2>Aj7:El4=:AQ ^mk7:842AE:@?m(@C5 4=@F5D 56A:4E A2CE:4:A2?ED’ 7:CDE :>AC6DD:@?D @7 D6?56CD H9@ HC@E6 >6DD286D E96>D6=G6D[ =67E[ 2?5 E9@D6 H9@ FD65 px[ C:89E] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]D4:6?465:C64E]4@>^D4:6?46^2CE:4=6^A::^$_fcfdebaae___aehQmp?5C2D |@=?2Ck^2mk^7:842AE:@?mk^7:8FC6m
k9am(9J :E >2EE6CDk^9am
kAm{24< @7 D<6AE:4:D> 2?5 2 =24< @7 ?682E:G6 :>AC6DD:@?D >2EE6C 3642FD6 A6@A=6 >2<6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^5@:]@C8^`_]``ce^2??FC6G]ADJ49]dc]`_`e_`]`cd_c`QmD@4:2= ;F58>6?EDk^2m 7C@> E6IE 2== E96 E:>6] #64:A:6?ED 4@?D:56C E2<:?8 E96 E:>6 2?5 677@CE E@ D6?5 HC:EE6? >6DD286D 2D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^5@:]@C8^`_]`_`e^;]4@ADJ4]a_aa]`_`ccaQm2? :?D:89E :?E@k^2m E96 HC:E6C’D D:?46C:EJ[ 2FE96?E:4:EJ @C 4@>A6E6?46[ 2?5 E9@D6 :>AC6DD:@?D D92A6 A6@A=6’D 564:D:@?D :? 7C:6?5D9:AD[ 52E:?8 2?5 H@C<]k^Am
kAm*6E @FC >2:? 7:?5:?8D C6G62= 2 DEC:<:?8 5:D4@??64Ei !6@A=6 FDF2==J 5@ ?@E DFDA64E px FD6 F?=6DD :E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?6HDH66<]4@>^?6HDA2A6C\:DDF6D\2A@=@8J\C6256CD\42?E\36=:6G6\AC:?E\``_cffdhQm:D @3G:@FDk^2m] %9:D F?2H2C6?6DD 4C62E6D 2 >@C2= 5:=6>>2i !6@A=6 H9@ FD6 px :? D64C6E 42? 6?;@J E96 36?67:ED H9:=6 724:?8 2=>@DE ?@ C:D< @7 56E64E:@?] |62?H9:=6[ A2C25@I:42==J[ A6@A=6 H9@ 2C6 FA7C@?E 2?5 25>:E E@ FD:?8 px k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^5@:]@C8^`_]`_`e^;]@395A]a_ad]`_cc_dQmDF776C 2 C6AFE2E:@?2= 9:Ek^2m]k^Am
kAm~G6C E:>6[ =24< @7 D<6AE:4:D> 2?5 2H2C6?6DD 4@F=5 C6D92A6 H92E HC:E:?8 >62?D :? 6G6CJ52J =:76] #6256CD >:89E =62C? E@ EC62E HC:E:?8 2D 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^5@:]@C8^`_]`__f^D``aah\_ad\_cheb\aQm=6DD C6=:23=6k^2m D:8?2= @7 D@>6@?6’D 492C24E6C @C 677@CE[ 2?5 :?DE625 C6=J @? @E96C 7@C>D @7 4@>>F?:42E:@?] u@C 6I2>A=6[ H:56DAC625 px FD6 92D 2=C625J AC@>AE65 6>A=@J6CD E@ 5:D4@F?E E96 G2=F6 @7 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]64@?@>:DE]4@>^7:?2?46\2?5\64@?@>:4D^a_ad^``^`b^9@H\2:\:D\3C62<:?8\4@G6C\=6EE6CDQm4@G6C =6EE6CD 7C@> ;@3 2AA=:42?EDk^2m] x?DE625[ E96J 2C6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^<?@H=6586]H92CE@?]FA6??]65F^@A:?:@?^2:\:D\<:==:?8\E96\4@G6C\=6EE6C^QmC6=J:?8 >@C6k^2m @? A6CD@?2= C64@>>6?52E:@?D 7C@> 2? 2AA=:42?E’D 4FCC6?E DFA6CG:D@C @C 4@??64E:@?D >256 E9C@F89 :?\A6CD@? ?6EH@C<:?8]k^Am
k9am(92E @E96C C6D62C49 :D 36:?8 5@?6k^9am
kAm~E96C C6D62C496CD 92G6 5@4F>6?E65 2 H:56 C2?86 @7 ?682E:G6 :>AC6DD:@?D 23@FE A6@A=6 H9@ 5:D4=@D6 E96:C px FD6] $EF5:6D D9@H :E >2<6D ;@3 2AA=:42?ED D66> k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^5@:]@C8^`_]`_gh^4J36C]a_a_]_gebQm=6DD 56D:C23=6k^2m 2?5 6>A=@J66D D66> k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^5@:]@C8^`_]`_fb^A?2D]acaefee`aaQm=6DD 4@>A6E6?Ek^2m] #6256CD @7 4C62E:G6 HC:E:?8 A6C46:G6 px FD6CD 2D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^5@:]@C8^`_]`_bf^I86___`gghQm=6DD 4C62E:G6k^2m 2?5 :?2FE96?E:4] !6@A=6 D66 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^5@:]@C8^`_]`_`e^;]493]a_aa]`_fdhaQmA6CD@?2= 2A@=@8:6Dk^2m 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^5@:]@C8^`_]`_`e^;]AF3C6G]a_ac]`_ada_Qm4@CA@C2E6 2A@=@8:6Dk^2m E92E DE6> 7C@> px 2D =6DD 67764E:G6] x? 86?6C2=[ 5:D4=@D:?8 px FD6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^5@:]@C8^`_]`_`e^;]@395A]a_ad]`_cc_dQm564C62D6D ECFDEk^2m 2?5 F?56C>:?6D =68:E:>24J]k^Am
kAm*6E H:E9@FE 5:D4=@DFC6[ E96C6 :D 4=62C 6G:56?46 E92E >@DE A6@A=6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^5@:]@C8^`_]`_fb^A?2D]aa_ggbh`a_Qm42??@E C6=:23=J 56E64Ek^2m px\86?6C2E65 E6IE[ 6G6? H:E9 E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E964@?G6CD2E:@?]4@>^H9J\:ED\D@\92C5\E@\E6==\:7\2\A:646\@7\E6IE\H2D\HC:EE6?\3J\2:\6G6?\7@C\2:\aed`g`Qm96=A @7 56E64E:@? E@@=Dk^2m[ 6DA64:2==J H96? E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^5@:]@C8^`_]`gedb^G`^a_ac]7:?5:?8D\?224=]ahQmE6IE :D 2 >:Ik^2m @7 9F>2?\HC:EE6? 2?5 px\86?6C2E65 4@?E6?E] tG6? H96? A6@A=6 766= 4@?7:56?E 23@FE E96:C 23:=:EJ E@ DA@E px E6IE[ E96:C 4@?7:56?46 >2J 36 ?@E9:?8 >@C6 E92? 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^5@:]@C8^`_]`_`e^;]493]a_a_]`_eddbQmD6=7\277:C>:?8 :==FD:@?k^2m]k^Am
k9am(92E’D ?6IEk^9am
kAmtG6? E9@F89 @FC 6IA6C:>6?ED 5:5 ?@E C6G62= DFDA:4:@? @7 px FD6[ E92E 5@6D?’E >62? A6@A=6 ?6G6C DFDA64E :E :? E96 C62= H@C=5] x? D@>6 D6EE:?8D[ A6@A=6 >2J 2=C625J 36 9JA6CG:8:=2?E 23@FE px] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]43D?6HD]4@>^56EC@:E^?6HD^F?:G6CD:EJ\>:49:82?\DEF56?E\=2HDF:E\2:\5:D23:=:EJ\5:D4C:>:?2E:@?^Qm&D6 :? 24256>:2k^2m :D 2? @3G:@FD 6I2>A=6] x? @FC ?6IE DEF5:6D[ H6 H2?E E@ F?56CDE2?5 H96? 2?5 H9J A6@A=6 ?2EFC2==J DE2CE E@ DFDA64E px FD6[ 2?5 H92E 7=:AD E96 DH:E49 36EH66? ECFDE 2?5 5@F3E]k^Am
kAm&?E:= E96?[ :7 J@F H2?E J@FC A6CD@?2= >6DD286 E@ 36 ;F5865 2D 962CE76=E[ E96 D276DE DEC2E68J >2J 36 E@ >2<6 2 A9@?6 42==[ =62G6 2 G@:46>2:= @C[ 36EE6C J6E[ D2J :E :? A6CD@?]k^Am
kAmk6>m%96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E964@?G6CD2E:@?]4@>^FD^E@A:4D^C6D62C49\3C:67\gbab`Qm#6D62C49 qC:67k^2m :D 2 D9@CE E2<6 @? :?E6C6DE:?8 24256>:4 H@C<]k^6>mk^Am
kAmk6>m%9:D 2CE:4=6 :D C6AF3=:D965 7C@> k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^E964@?G6CD2E:@?]4@>^FDnFE>0D@FC46l{66U2>AjFE>0>65:F>lC6=2E65\=:?<U2>AjFE>042>A2:8?lC6=2E65\=:?<\_U2>AjFE>04@?E6?El2CE:4=6\afggfcQm%96 r@?G6CD2E:@?k^2m[ 2 ?@?AC@7:E[ :?56A6?56?E ?6HD @C82?:K2E:@? 3C:?8:?8 J@F 724ED 2?5 ECFDEH@CE9J 2?2=JD:D E@ 96=A J@F >2<6 D6?D6 @7 @FC 4@>A=6I H@C=5] xE H2D HC:EE6? 3Ji k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E964@?G6CD2E:@?]4@>^AC@7:=6D^2?5C2D\>@=?2C\ae_fa_fnFE>0D@FC46l{66U2>AjFE>0>65:F>lC6=2E65\=:?<U2>AjFE>042>A2:8?l3J=:?6\=:?<U2>AjFE>04@?E6?El2CE:4=6\afggfcQmp?5C2D |@=?2Ck^2m[ k6>mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E964@?G6CD2E:@?]4@>^:?DE:EFE:@?D^F?:G6CD:EJ\@7\>:49:82?\`ah_nFE>0D@FC46l{66U2>AjFE>0>65:F>lC6=2E65\=:?<U2>AjFE>042>A2:8?l3J=:?6\=:?<U2>AjFE>04@?E6?El2CE:4=6\afggfcQm&?:G6CD:EJ @7 |:49:82?k^2mk^6>mk^6>mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m#625 >@C6ik^DEC@?8mk^Am
kF=mk=:mk2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^E964@?G6CD2E:@?]4@>^H96E96C\:ED\G2=6?E:?6D\52J\?@E6D\@C\6>2:=D\E@\=@G65\@?6D\FD:?8\2:\E@\HC:E6\=62G6D\A6@A=6\766=:?8\4CF>>J\23@FE\E96>D6=G6D\af`g_dnFE>0D@FC46l{66U2>AjFE>0>65:F>lC6=2E65\=:?<U2>AjFE>042>A2:8?lC6=2E65\=:?<_U2>AjFE>04@?E6?El2CE:4=6\afggfcQm(96E96C :E’D '2=6?E:?6’D s2J ?@E6D @C 6>2:=D E@ =@G65 @?6D[ FD:?8 px E@ HC:E6 =62G6D A6@A=6 766=:?8 4CF>>J 23@FE E96>D6=G6Dk^2mk^=:mk=:mk2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^E964@?G6CD2E:@?]4@>^36:?8\9@?6DE\23@FE\FD:?8\2:\2E\H@C<\>2<6D\A6@A=6\ECFDE\J@F\=6DD\C6D62C49\7:?5D\adbdh_nFE>0D@FC46l{66U2>AjFE>0>65:F>lC6=2E65\=:?<U2>AjFE>042>A2:8?lC6=2E65\=:?<`U2>AjFE>04@?E6?El2CE:4=6\afggfcQmq6:?8 9@?6DE 23@FE FD:?8 px 2E H@C< >2<6D A6@A=6 ECFDE J@F =6DD[ C6D62C49 7:?5Dk^2mk^=:mk=:mk2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^E964@?G6CD2E:@?]4@>^J@FC\?6IE\72G@C:E6\DE@CJ\H@?E\36\HC:EE6?\3J\2:\3FE\:E\4@F=5\36\D@>652J\abhagcnFE>0D@FC46l{66U2>AjFE>0>65:F>lC6=2E65\=:?<U2>AjFE>042>A2:8?lC6=2E65\=:?<aU2>AjFE>04@?E6?El2CE:4=6\afggfcQm*@FC ?6IE 72G@C:E6 DE@CJ H@?’E 36 HC:EE6? 3J px – 3FE :E 4@F=5 36 D@>652Jk^2mk^=:mk^F=m
kA 4=2DDlQ7:?6\AC:?EQmk6>mkDA2?mp?5C2D |@=?2C 5@6D ?@E H@C< 7@C[ 4@?DF=E[ @H? D92C6D :? @C C646:G6 7F?5:?8 7C@> 2?J 4@>A2?J @C @C82?:K2E:@? E92E H@F=5 36?67:E 7C@> E9:D 2CE:4=6[ 2?5 92D 5:D4=@D65 ?@ C6=6G2?E 277:=:2E:@?D 36J@?5 E96:C 24256>:4 2AA@:?E>6?E]k^DA2?mk^6>mk^Am
kAmk:>8 DC4lQ9EEADi^^4@F?E6C]E964@?G6CD2E:@?]4@>^4@?E6?E^afggfc^4@F?E]8:7n5:DEC:3FE@Cl=66Q DEJ=6lQ96:89Ei`AIjH:5E9i`AIjQ 2=ElQQ ^mk^Am

(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.