How do people react to political bias in generative artificial intelligence (AI)?

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) such as Large Language Models (LLMs) have a concerning tendency to generate politically biased content. This is a challenge, as the emergence of GAI meets politically polarized societies. Therefore, this research investigates how people react to biased GAI-co...

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Main Author: Uwe Messer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-03-01
Series:Computers in Human Behavior: Artificial Humans
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949882124000689
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author Uwe Messer
author_facet Uwe Messer
author_sort Uwe Messer
collection DOAJ
description Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) such as Large Language Models (LLMs) have a concerning tendency to generate politically biased content. This is a challenge, as the emergence of GAI meets politically polarized societies. Therefore, this research investigates how people react to biased GAI-content based on their pre-existing political beliefs and how this influences the acceptance of GAI. In three experiments (N = 513), it was found that perceived alignment between user's political orientation and bias in generated content (in text and images) increases acceptance and reliance on GAI. Participants who perceived alignment were more likely to grant GAI access to sensitive smartphone functions and to endorse the use in critical domains (e.g., loan approval; social media moderation). Because users see GAI as a social actor, they consider perceived alignment as a sign of greater objectivity, thus granting aligned GAI access to more sensitive areas.
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series Computers in Human Behavior: Artificial Humans
spelling doaj-art-c8da76e576cf4714b7fcfdc6334d01c62025-08-20T02:18:00ZengElsevierComputers in Human Behavior: Artificial Humans2949-88212025-03-01310010810.1016/j.chbah.2024.100108How do people react to political bias in generative artificial intelligence (AI)?Uwe Messer0Universität der Bundeswehr München, Werner-Heisenberg-Weg 3985577 Neubiberg, GermanyGenerative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) such as Large Language Models (LLMs) have a concerning tendency to generate politically biased content. This is a challenge, as the emergence of GAI meets politically polarized societies. Therefore, this research investigates how people react to biased GAI-content based on their pre-existing political beliefs and how this influences the acceptance of GAI. In three experiments (N = 513), it was found that perceived alignment between user's political orientation and bias in generated content (in text and images) increases acceptance and reliance on GAI. Participants who perceived alignment were more likely to grant GAI access to sensitive smartphone functions and to endorse the use in critical domains (e.g., loan approval; social media moderation). Because users see GAI as a social actor, they consider perceived alignment as a sign of greater objectivity, thus granting aligned GAI access to more sensitive areas.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949882124000689Artificial intelligenceAlignmentPolitical orientationBiasAcceptanceLarge language model
spellingShingle Uwe Messer
How do people react to political bias in generative artificial intelligence (AI)?
Computers in Human Behavior: Artificial Humans
Artificial intelligence
Alignment
Political orientation
Bias
Acceptance
Large language model
title How do people react to political bias in generative artificial intelligence (AI)?
title_full How do people react to political bias in generative artificial intelligence (AI)?
title_fullStr How do people react to political bias in generative artificial intelligence (AI)?
title_full_unstemmed How do people react to political bias in generative artificial intelligence (AI)?
title_short How do people react to political bias in generative artificial intelligence (AI)?
title_sort how do people react to political bias in generative artificial intelligence ai
topic Artificial intelligence
Alignment
Political orientation
Bias
Acceptance
Large language model
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949882124000689
work_keys_str_mv AT uwemesser howdopeoplereacttopoliticalbiasingenerativeartificialintelligenceai