The rapid deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has enabled AI agents to take on various roles as communicators, such as virtual assistants, robot journalists, and AI doctors. This study meta-analyzed 121 randomized experimental studies (N = 53,977) that compared the effects of AI and human agency on persuasion outcomes, including perceptions, attitudes, intentions, and behaviors. The results showed that AI agents were as persuasive as humans in terms of overall persuasion outcomes. With regard to different types of outcomes, AI was less effective than humans at shaping behavioral intentions, but did not differ significantly from humans in eliciting perceptions, attitudes, or actual behaviors. Additionally, heterogeneous patterns were observed for different roles of AI communicators, directions of communication, experimental settings, and demographic segments. The implications of these findings for human–machine communication and persuasion in the era of AI are discussed.

中文翻译：

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人工智能比人类更有说服力吗？荟萃分析

人工智能（AI）技术的快速部署使人工智能代理能够承担各种沟通者角色，例如虚拟助理、机器人记者和人工智能医生。这项研究对 121 项随机实验研究 (N = 53,977) 进行了荟萃分析，比较了人工智能和人类机构对说服结果的影响，包括感知、态度、意图和行为。结果表明，就整体说服结果而言，人工智能代理与人类一样具有说服力。对于不同类型的结果，人工智能在塑造行为意图方面不如人类有效，但在引发感知、态度或实际行为方面与人类没有显着差异。此外，还观察到人工智能沟通者的不同角色、沟通方向、实验设置和人口统计细分。讨论了这些发现对人工智能时代人机沟通和说服的影响。