Online reviews serve as a guide for consumer choice. With advancements in large language models (LLMs) and generative AI, the fast and inexpensive creation of human-like text may threaten the feedback function of online reviews if neither readers nor platforms can differentiate between human-written and AI-generated content. In two experiments, we found that humans cannot recognize AI-written reviews. Even with monetary incentives for accuracy, both Type I and Type II errors were common: human reviews were often mistaken for AI-generated reviews, and even more frequently, AI-generated reviews were mistaken for human reviews. This held true across various ratings, emotional tones, review lengths, and participants’ genders, education levels, and AI expertise. Younger participants were somewhat better at distinguishing between human and AI reviews. An additional study revealed that current AI detectors were also fooled by AI-generated reviews. We discuss the implications of our findings on trust erosion, manipulation, regulation, consumer behavior, AI detection, market structure, innovation, and review platforms.
I don’t read five star reviews ever anymore. If I want to find a believable endorsement of a product, I’ll look for a four-star review that contains a criticism that isn’t that bothersome to me personally, but legitimate enough that I can imagine a customer who would be deterred by it.
We moved a year ago, and I found my favorite pizza guy, Tony, by maybe the most convincing online review I’ve ever read. The most recent review on google maps was a one-star that was basically like “I met Tony and he casually used foul language etc etc there is no need for profanity etc pizza was some of the best I’ve ever had though”
I read all the one star reviews. If they are all something akin to “my food was too colorful” or “the waitress didn’t refill my water enough” then it’s probably ok
I love when owners give a sassy response, or when a one star review tells a story about the owner that makes me laugh.
My favorite local pizza shop is several generations family run, everything from scratch, and everything is done a certain way. I know everyone who works there and has ever worked there, and when me and the boys read this review, even though we all moved away, we knew it was true because it’s completly on brand.
Best Pizza going, but their menu is on bristle board and they don’t do complicated orders.
Tony’s great. He does a thing he calls “Detroit style stuffed pizza” which does not really seem to be a Detroit style pizza at all but it’s fantastic nonetheless.
A lot of people like his sandwiches and visually they look very appetizing, but for whatever reason they don’t hit the spot for me. His pizzas are spectacular, and good breadsticks and wings too.
I don’t read five star reviews ever anymore. If I want to find a believable endorsement of a product, I’ll look for a four-star review that contains a criticism that isn’t that bothersome to me personally, but legitimate enough that I can imagine a customer who would be deterred by it.
We moved a year ago, and I found my favorite pizza guy, Tony, by maybe the most convincing online review I’ve ever read. The most recent review on google maps was a one-star that was basically like “I met Tony and he casually used foul language etc etc there is no need for profanity etc pizza was some of the best I’ve ever had though”
I read all the one star reviews. If they are all something akin to “my food was too colorful” or “the waitress didn’t refill my water enough” then it’s probably ok
I love when owners give a sassy response, or when a one star review tells a story about the owner that makes me laugh.
My favorite local pizza shop is several generations family run, everything from scratch, and everything is done a certain way. I know everyone who works there and has ever worked there, and when me and the boys read this review, even though we all moved away, we knew it was true because it’s completly on brand.
Best Pizza going, but their menu is on bristle board and they don’t do complicated orders.
This is my favorite stupid review from a local bookstore:
Well, how was the fucking pizza?
Tony’s great. He does a thing he calls “Detroit style stuffed pizza” which does not really seem to be a Detroit style pizza at all but it’s fantastic nonetheless.
A lot of people like his sandwiches and visually they look very appetizing, but for whatever reason they don’t hit the spot for me. His pizzas are spectacular, and good breadsticks and wings too.