Synthetic authenticity and audience trust in AI-generated intangible cultural heritage: a qualitative multimodal study

In the digital era, generative AI is increasingly leveraged to craft cultural content, prompting considerations of authenticity and trust in intangible cultural heritage (ICH) dissemination. This study explores how AI-generated cultural depictions impact audience trust, introducing "synthetic a...

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Main Authors: Chuyao, Wang, Adzharuddin, Nor Azura
Format: Article
Language:en
Published: Faculty of Communication & Media Studies 2025
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Online Access:https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/124111/1/124111.pdf
https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/124111/
https://journal.uitm.edu.my/ojs/index.php/e-JOMS/index
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author Chuyao, Wang
Adzharuddin, Nor Azura
author_facet Chuyao, Wang
Adzharuddin, Nor Azura
author_sort Chuyao, Wang
building Tun Abdul Razak Library
collection Institutional Repository
content_provider Universiti Teknologi Mara
content_source UiTM Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
description In the digital era, generative AI is increasingly leveraged to craft cultural content, prompting considerations of authenticity and trust in intangible cultural heritage (ICH) dissemination. This study explores how AI-generated cultural depictions impact audience trust, introducing "synthetic authenticity" to denote algorithmically created content mimicking traditional heritage. Using a qualitative multi-method approach, it analyzes two notable Chinese AI-ICH cases—Baidu Baike’s AI Museum and Guangming Online’s Intangible Heritage Revived series—via multimodal content analysis and open coding of semi-structured interviews. Results identify four thematic aspects shaping audience perceptions: perceived authenticity, emotional resonance, platform credibility, and participatory co-creation. Audiences tend to trust content with traditional aesthetic cues, expert voiceovers, and clear AI labeling, while overly refined or culturally alien visuals diminish credibility. The study highlights that trust in AI-generated heritage is context-dependent, influenced by cultural familiarity, emotional connection, and platform reputation. It proposes a new framework for understanding trust in AI-mediated cultural communication and offers practical suggestions for platform designers, cultural institutions, and policymakers, including transparent AI marking, heritage stakeholder involvement, and digital literacy education to foster more authentic and reliable cultural experiences in the algorithmic media age.
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spelling my.uitm.ir-1241112025-10-13T09:32:45Z https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/124111/ Synthetic authenticity and audience trust in AI-generated intangible cultural heritage: a qualitative multimodal study Chuyao, Wang Adzharuddin, Nor Azura Historic sites. Cultural property Back propagation (Artificial intelligence) In the digital era, generative AI is increasingly leveraged to craft cultural content, prompting considerations of authenticity and trust in intangible cultural heritage (ICH) dissemination. This study explores how AI-generated cultural depictions impact audience trust, introducing "synthetic authenticity" to denote algorithmically created content mimicking traditional heritage. Using a qualitative multi-method approach, it analyzes two notable Chinese AI-ICH cases—Baidu Baike’s AI Museum and Guangming Online’s Intangible Heritage Revived series—via multimodal content analysis and open coding of semi-structured interviews. Results identify four thematic aspects shaping audience perceptions: perceived authenticity, emotional resonance, platform credibility, and participatory co-creation. Audiences tend to trust content with traditional aesthetic cues, expert voiceovers, and clear AI labeling, while overly refined or culturally alien visuals diminish credibility. The study highlights that trust in AI-generated heritage is context-dependent, influenced by cultural familiarity, emotional connection, and platform reputation. It proposes a new framework for understanding trust in AI-mediated cultural communication and offers practical suggestions for platform designers, cultural institutions, and policymakers, including transparent AI marking, heritage stakeholder involvement, and digital literacy education to foster more authentic and reliable cultural experiences in the algorithmic media age. Faculty of Communication & Media Studies 2025-07 Article PeerReviewed text en https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/124111/1/124111.pdf Chuyao, Wang and Adzharuddin, Nor Azura (2025) Synthetic authenticity and audience trust in AI-generated intangible cultural heritage: a qualitative multimodal study. (2025) e-Journal of Media and Society (e-JOMS) <https://ir.uitm.edu.my/view/publication/e-Journal_of_Media_and_Society_=28e-JOMS=29.html>, 8 (2). pp. 1-10. ISSN 2682-9193 https://journal.uitm.edu.my/ojs/index.php/e-JOMS/index
spellingShingle Historic sites. Cultural property
Back propagation (Artificial intelligence)
Chuyao, Wang
Adzharuddin, Nor Azura
Synthetic authenticity and audience trust in AI-generated intangible cultural heritage: a qualitative multimodal study
title Synthetic authenticity and audience trust in AI-generated intangible cultural heritage: a qualitative multimodal study
title_full Synthetic authenticity and audience trust in AI-generated intangible cultural heritage: a qualitative multimodal study
title_fullStr Synthetic authenticity and audience trust in AI-generated intangible cultural heritage: a qualitative multimodal study
title_full_unstemmed Synthetic authenticity and audience trust in AI-generated intangible cultural heritage: a qualitative multimodal study
title_short Synthetic authenticity and audience trust in AI-generated intangible cultural heritage: a qualitative multimodal study
title_sort synthetic authenticity and audience trust in ai-generated intangible cultural heritage: a qualitative multimodal study
topic Historic sites. Cultural property
Back propagation (Artificial intelligence)
url https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/124111/1/124111.pdf
https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/124111/
https://journal.uitm.edu.my/ojs/index.php/e-JOMS/index
url_provider http://ir.uitm.edu.my/