When signaling AI-generated content increases charitable giving: the role of consumer mindsets

This research examined the impact of disclosing AI-generated content on charitable giving responses to ads. Study 1 demonstrated that labeling ad content as AI-generated (vs. no disclosure) reduced donation intentions. Study 2 showed that this negative effect was driven by reduced perceived ad credibility, while ruling out perceived empathy as an alternative explanation. Study 3 revealed that individuals with a fixed mindset reacted negatively to AI disclosure, whereas this effect was attenuated among individuals with a growth mindset. Study 4 extended these findings by explicitly comparing AI- versus human-generated ad disclosures and showed that perceived ad credibility mediated the negative impact of AI disclosure on donation intentions for individuals with a fixed mindset. Study 5 validated the moderating role of mindset in a consequential context involving the allocation of real monetary donations Theoretical and practical implications for AI-generated charitable advertising strategies are discussed.