Abstract

As generative AI becomes increasingly embedded in content generation, understanding how its interaction styles shape user responses is critical. This study examines AI ingratiation—AI-generated expressions of praise and flattery—and its effects on user perceptions and behavioral outcomes. A 2×2 online experiment reveals that AI ingratiation increases perceived intimacy but decreases perceived authenticity. Building on these perceptual responses, perceived intimacy and perceived authenticity jointly transmit the effects of AI ingratiation to user satisfaction and content iteration intention, indicating significant indirect effects through these dual mediating pathways. We further examine the moderating role of AI literacy and find that users with higher self-reported AI usage literacy are more responsive to AI ingratiation. Specifically, higher AI literacy strengthens the positive effect of AI ingratiation on perceived intimacy, which in turn enhances user satisfaction. Finally, a multi-group analysis reveals significant differences between advertising and academic contexts, suggesting that the effects of AI ingratiation vary across content generation scenarios. These findings highlight the dual-pathway and context-dependent nature of AI ingratiation in human–AI interaction.

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