Paper Number

ICIS2025-2315

Paper Type

Short

Abstract

Artificial intelligence has been widely adopted across various industries. Online crowdfunding platforms have also begun embracing this emerging technology. Many of these platforms have introduced AI writing assistants to help fundraisers improve the writing quality of project descriptions, and, ultimately, enhance fundraising performance. However, the actual effect of such AI writing assistants remains underexplored. Drawing on language expectancy theory, this study proposes that an AI writing assistant may unintentionally exert a negative effect on charitable crowdfunding projects. Using archival data from a leading crowdfunding platform, we empirically test our hypotheses and find evidence that the introduction of an AI writing assistant adversely affects fundraising performance. Furthermore, we examine the mediating role of several textual features in project descriptions. This study extends prior literature on language expectancy theory and charitable crowdfunding and provides practical implications for platform designers and fundraisers regarding the effective use of AI in charitable crowdfunding campaigns.

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Dec 14th, 12:00 AM

Impact of Introducing an AI Writing Assistant in Charitable Crowdfunding

Artificial intelligence has been widely adopted across various industries. Online crowdfunding platforms have also begun embracing this emerging technology. Many of these platforms have introduced AI writing assistants to help fundraisers improve the writing quality of project descriptions, and, ultimately, enhance fundraising performance. However, the actual effect of such AI writing assistants remains underexplored. Drawing on language expectancy theory, this study proposes that an AI writing assistant may unintentionally exert a negative effect on charitable crowdfunding projects. Using archival data from a leading crowdfunding platform, we empirically test our hypotheses and find evidence that the introduction of an AI writing assistant adversely affects fundraising performance. Furthermore, we examine the mediating role of several textual features in project descriptions. This study extends prior literature on language expectancy theory and charitable crowdfunding and provides practical implications for platform designers and fundraisers regarding the effective use of AI in charitable crowdfunding campaigns.

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