In a recent study, we asked young people directly what they thought of messages that were tailored to their own communication style using generative AI.

Remarkably positive

Most reactions were remarkably positive:
 "It felt like the messages were really for me."
 "It feels like I'm talking to someone I know and in a way that I understand."
 "The posts felt like they were written by someone my age, not a teacher."

But not everyone felt comfortable with it:
 "It's a bit creepy that a computer imitates how I talk."
 "I have the feeling that my personal data is being used without me being asked."

Perhaps AI captures us too well

What was striking was that the criticism was rarely about whether the tailoring worked. Instead, some young people felt that the AI was able to capture their communication style too well.

This points to a significant challenge for the future of AI-driven health communication. As AI gets better and better at adapting to the way we communicate, questions about authenticity, privacy, transparency, and trust become just as important as questions about effectiveness.

Want to know more? Read the preprint of the academic article here