AI-Mediated Communication (AI-MC) is defined as a form of interpersonal communication in which an intelligent non-human agent operates on behalf of a person to accomplish communication goals. [1] It can refer to a wide variety of practices from simple automated grammar like spellcheck to short replies on email to messages fully generated by large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT.
Unlike earlier forms of computer-mediated communication (CMC), which refers to communication between two humans that is facilitated by digital technologies, AI-Mediated Communication is distinguished by the role and increased agency of the AI in shaping, filtering, or generating the message itself.
AI-MC can take many forms and occurs across multiple dimensions. For instance, one important dimension is magnitude or the extent to which the AI is granted agency in generating messages. In AI-Augmented Communication, the human remains the primary author and AI is used to lightly refine human text. Examples of AI-Augmented Communication involve tools like Grammarly or features like autocomplete. This is in contrast from AI-Generated Communication, where the AI may be tasked with the complete composition of messages and have little human oversight.
It can also vary across media types such as audio, text or video. With recent advancements in AI technologies, users can apply filters to change their appearance in real time. [2]
A third dimension concerns the AI's role not in producing content, but in distributing it. TikTok's algorithm, for example, does not create content but shapes what people see and share, functioning as a structure through which people communicate and build shared meaning, rather than simply a personalized feed.[3]
Domains
AI-mediated communication is rapidly increasing across a variety of domains, in part because it is relatively affordable and widely accessible with many platforms offering free versions. [4]
It is used in interpersonal contexts, such as messaging apps, emails, and dating profiles.[5] For instance, AI is used in creating the content for dating profile bios and used to message potential matches.[6]
It is also increasingly used in professional and organizational contexts, such as automated outreach emails with AI-generated content.
On social media, AI-generated content is increasingly prevalent and is used in a variety of contexts from AI-generated videos, images, and captions.[7]
