AI Stink Is Real: Perceived Machine-Written Content Tanks Brand Trust, Ad Impact

Snapshot
A new study from Raptive reveals that audiences penalize content they think is AI-generated, even when it isn’t, triggering a ripple effect that erodes trust and damages ad performance. When readers suspect AI involvement, their trust in the article drops nearly 50%, and their perception of nearby ads sinks right along with it. In side-by-side testing, ads placed next to suspected AI content saw a 14% drop in purchase consideration and willingness to pay a premium.

The study, which surveyed 3,000 U.S. adults, found this skepticism—dubbed "AI stink"—is increasingly shaping consumer behavior, regardless of actual content quality or authorship.

AI-generated or not, perceived tone and lack of human warmth drove skepticism. Simply telling participants a story was AI-written made them 14% less likely to consider purchasing the product featured in a nearby ad.

This new distrust comes as more publishers embrace AI in content creation, including Business Insider and local news outlets like MetroWest Daily News. Yet even well-crafted AI content carries reputational risk, especially if left unlabeled or lacking human input. Raptive’s findings suggest that advertisers and publishers alike should tread carefully, as “AI guilt by association” could make seemingly efficient ad buys far more expensive in the long run.

Full story: ADWEEK - Raptive study