Study: AI-written stories rated more engaging and higher quality

A new study shows readers rated AI-written stories as more engaging and higher quality than human-written ones. Published in the journal Judgment and Decision Making, researchers at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, USA, had 1,682 adults read six short stories—three by humans and three by ChatGPT, matched by theme. Participants were told the true source, but not always accurately. Results showed AI stories scored higher on engagement and quality. However, when participants believed a story was human-written, they rated it even higher. Lead author Dr. Deena Skolnick Weisberg said AI can now create stories at least as good as humans, urging a rethink of AI's abilities. But she stressed this doesn't mean writing should be left to AI, as human creativity remains valuable. Follow-up tests found participants struggled to tell human and AI stories apart, with accuracy around 40% to 52%. Those more familiar with AI guessed slightly better. Professor Luke Kennard from the University of Birmingham, UK, criticized AI, citing its environmental impact and questioning its creative worth.