The placebo effect of artificial intelligence in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)

Authors: T Kosch, R Welsch, L Chuang, A Schmidt

Published: 2025

Publication: ACM Transactions on ..., 2023 - dl.acm.org

The belief in receiving adaptive AI support positively impacts user performance, demonstrating a placebo effect in Human-Computer Interaction.

Methods: Two experiments where participants completed word puzzles under conditions with or without supposed AI support; in reality, no AI assistance was provided.

Key Findings: Impact of perceived AI support on user expectations and task performance.

Limitations: Results may not generalize to other tasks or contexts beyond word puzzles and adaptive interfaces; the study focuses on the psychological effects rather than functional AI capabilities.

Institution: Aalto University

Research Area: User Expectations, HCI Research Bias, Artificial Intelligence, AI Bias

Discipline: Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)

Sample Size: 469 participants

Citations: 149

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3529225