What Influences Readers' and Writers' Perceived Necessity of AI Disclosure?

2026-04-29

AI Summary

This study investigates the key factors shaping readers’ and authors’ perceptions of the necessity to disclose AI involvement in writing. Through a vignette-based experimental design with 727 participants, the research finds that readers are significantly more inclined than authors to demand disclosure, particularly when the AI’s contribution is irreplaceable, directly embedded in the text, and generated without active authorial guidance. Notably, the perceived intentionality of the author exerts opposing effects on readers’ and authors’ judgments, challenging prevailing assumptions in the literature. Contrary to expectations, the perceived level of human writing effort shows no significant influence on disclosure preferences. These findings provide empirical grounding and theoretical insights for developing norms around transparency in AI-generated content.

Abstract

The growing capability of artificial intelligence (AI) leads to its increasing adoption in writing, spurring discussions around whether writers should disclose their AI use in writing. What influences the perceived necessity of disclosure? We look into this question from three dimensions: perspective (reader or writer of the text), purpose (the goal of reading or writing), and procedural factors (how AI was used in the writing process in terms of replaceability, effortfulness, intentionality, and directness). In a vignette study (N = 727), we find that readers consider disclosure to be more necessary than writers, and disclosure is regarded as more necessary when AI's contribution in writing is irreplaceable, directly incorporated, and when the writer does not intentionally steer AI generation. To our surprise, the writers' intentionality of AI use produces contrasting effects on readers' and writers' perceived necessity of disclosure. Moreover, the effort of writing shows no significant effect on the perceived necessity. This study contributes to the conversation on transparent AI use by revealing readers' and writers' grassroots judgments, providing a unique angle to reflect on existing regulations, and offering insights into how AI disclosure guidance and tools could be designed to better align with readers' and writers' perceptions.

Problem

• AI disclosure
• perceived necessity
• readers
• writers
• writing process

Innovation

• AI disclosure
• perceived necessity
• reader-writer perspective
• AI writing process
• transparency