The Algorithmic Public Sphere: AI-Generated News Site as a Conduit to Social Capital
Article
Nah, S, Wu, X, Makata, EC et al. (2025). The Algorithmic Public Sphere: AI-Generated News Site as a Conduit to Social Capital
. 11 237-264. 10.30658/HMC.11.12
Nah, S, Wu, X, Makata, EC et al. (2025). The Algorithmic Public Sphere: AI-Generated News Site as a Conduit to Social Capital
. 11 237-264. 10.30658/HMC.11.12
A growing body of scholarship on AI-generated news has examined its impact on various outcomes. However, less attention has been paid to the actual implementation of AI-generated news sites and their effectiveness on civic consequences. This study examines the effects of an AI-generated, community-centered, nonprofit news site on civic outcomes such as trust in AI-generated news, trust in nonprofit organizations, social capital, and civic engagement. Data was collected from participants at a large Southeastern university who visited the AI-generated news site over a 4-week period and responded to a series of open-ended questions weekly. A total of 721 open-ended responses were analyzed using content analysis, thematic analysis, and textual analysis. The results indicate that participants’ trust in both AI-generated news and nonprofit organizations increased following exposure to the AI-generated news site. Furthermore, social capital and civic engagement levels also increased due to the AI-generated news site. Theoretical, methodological, practical, and policy implications are discussed.
