AI, human or a blend? How the educational content creator influences consumer engagement and brand-related outcomes

Purpose This study aims to investigate the impact of educational digital content (EDC) creators on perceived content quality, consumer engagement, brand attitude and advocacy intention. Design/methodology/approach The research consists of two experimental studies. In Study 1 (N = 172), participants were exposed to either AI-generated or human-generated educational content, with measured perceived content quality and consumer engagement. In Study 2 (N = 158), the authors extended the investigation and compared the effects of AI-generated, human-generated and hybrid-generated EDC on consumer engagement, brand attitude and advocacy intention. Findings Study 1 demonstrates that while the type of content creator does not significantly affect perceived content quality, it significantly influences consumer engagement, with the AI-generated EDC resulting in lower engagement. Study 2 highlights the effectiveness of human-AI collaboration, showing that consumer engagement is higher for hybrid posts than fully AI-generated ones, with hybrid content performing on par with human-generated content. Mediation analyses indicate that consumer engagement is a crucial mediator between content creator type and brand outcomes. Originality/value This research contributes to the literature on EDC in digital marketing and AI-generated content. Unlike previous studies that often isolate AI and human creators, this work highlights the benefits of integrating a hybrid approach. The findings provide practical implications for managers seeking to optimize digital strategies with valuable educational content.