Our new research project explores how AI quietly influences media credibility — and whether the audience can even tell.
At AICommLab, we’re excited to launch our first flagship research project:
Invisible Influence: Perceptions of Credibility and Trust in AI-Mediated Media in Southeast Asia
We’re entering a new era of content production — one where articles, captions, videos, and brand messages are increasingly assisted, enhanced, or outright authored by generative AI. But most audiences aren’t told when that’s the case. So how do people decide what’s credible? What feels “real”? And when — if ever — do they care?
What We’re Exploring
This project asks:
- Can audiences recognize AI-generated content when they see it?
- How does disclosure (“created with AI”) affect trust?
- Do trust levels change across age, culture, and platform?
- How are journalists and media creators adapting?
- What happens to narrative agency when authorship becomes hybrid?
Using experimental surveys, expert interviews, and content analysis across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and traditional news sites, we’ll uncover how trust is evolving — and how media creators can stay ethically grounded in a synthetic age.
We’ll also apply our in-house FRAME model (Framework for Reflecting Agency in Media Environments) to unpack who holds power in these AI-shaped narratives.
Want to get involved?
- Are you a media professional with thoughts on AI in your workflow?
- A digital creator using generative tools?
- A researcher interested in media ethics in Asia?
We’re currently looking for:
- Interview partners across Southeast Asia
- Case studies of AI-generated media content
- Collaborators for joint studies or cross-comparisons
→ Get in touch or follow the project here: Contact Us
Let’s explore the silent shift in media together — before it becomes the new default
