Factors Affecting Social Media Engagement in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Environments

Wong, Tiffany (2026) Factors Affecting Social Media Engagement in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Environments. Masters thesis, Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.

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Abstract

Despite marketers are increasingly employing AI virtual influencers to improve social media engagement, empirical evidence of their effectiveness is limited, particularly in Malaysia. This study utilized a quantitative, cross-sectional research approach to examine how AI audio stimuli, AI visual stimuli, perceived critical mass of AI, and perceived homophily of AI impact social media engagement among Malaysian Generation Z university students. This study used purposive sampling approaches to obtain 300 valid responses. The results show that AI visual stimuli and trust significantly affect social media engagement. Trust has been found to mediate the associations between AI audio stimuli, AI visual stimuli, perceived critical mass of AI, and perceived homophily of AI with social media engagement, emphasizing the importance of trust in transferring AI-driven cues into meaningful user engagements. In addition, social media platforms have been demonstrated to moderate the relationship between AI visual stimuli and social media engagement, with more immersive and engaging platforms improving the impacts. Overall, the study underscores the critical role of trust and social media platforms when assessing how AI virtual influencers affect social media engagement. These results provide practical advice for companies looking to include AI influencers into their marketing campaigns, as well as suggestions for further research in a wide range of industries and cultures.