AI-Augmented Short-Form Video Journalism and Audience Trust on Platforms Like YouTube Shorts

Abstract

With the rise of short-form video content creation on social media, along with the growing role of AI in online content creation, there is a need for validation of the use of AI in newsrooms and in social media journalistic communication. To study how AI implementation in short-form video journalism affects the audience's perception of trust, engagement, and authenticity, this study examines how AI technology is shaping media content and how this process influences audiences' perception. As AI becomes more and more popular as a tool for news production, there is an increasing need for research that will explore the perception of audiences in regard to AI-mediated content and how it affects credibility and interaction. The study used a mixed-methods design of surveying 300 participants and conducting focus groups with them. The quantitative data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression, while qualitative information was obtained using thematic analysis. The finding suggests that transparency can create a perception of deception among the audiences; authenticity is seen as performative, and engagement is somewhat habit-based. Additionally, AI journalism is not necessarily affecting trust in a negative way, but rather changing the way audiences perceive news.