Paper Type
Short
Paper Number
PACIS2026-1382
Description
As platforms leverage generative AI, “AI Avatars”—personalized agents replicating influencers’ style and persona—emerge as a new frontier. While prior research focus on generic chatbots, the impact of identity-driven AI replication on original engagement remains unexplored. Drawing on Trust Transfer Theory and the sRAM model, we use a Difference-in-Differences design with Douyin data to isolate causal effects. Findings show AI avatars significantly boost engagement, moderated by value configuration and prior Para-social Interaction (PSI) frequency. Specifically, the effect is amplified by affective value rather than functional utility. Crucially, the avatar’s role shifts with relationship strength: it serves as a “relational supplement” for low-PSI followers but triggers a “substitution effect” for high-PSI followers by crowding out primary engagement. These results suggest AI personification best supplements human interaction scarcity, offering strategic insights for generative AI deployment.
Recommended Citation
Kuang, Shirong and Zhu, Yingpeng, "Substitute or Supplement? Unpacking the Impact of AI Avatars on User Engagement" (2026). PACIS 2026 Proceedings. 2.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/pacis2026/sharing/sharing/2
Substitute or Supplement? Unpacking the Impact of AI Avatars on User Engagement
As platforms leverage generative AI, “AI Avatars”—personalized agents replicating influencers’ style and persona—emerge as a new frontier. While prior research focus on generic chatbots, the impact of identity-driven AI replication on original engagement remains unexplored. Drawing on Trust Transfer Theory and the sRAM model, we use a Difference-in-Differences design with Douyin data to isolate causal effects. Findings show AI avatars significantly boost engagement, moderated by value configuration and prior Para-social Interaction (PSI) frequency. Specifically, the effect is amplified by affective value rather than functional utility. Crucially, the avatar’s role shifts with relationship strength: it serves as a “relational supplement” for low-PSI followers but triggers a “substitution effect” for high-PSI followers by crowding out primary engagement. These results suggest AI personification best supplements human interaction scarcity, offering strategic insights for generative AI deployment.
Comments
07-Platform