Credibility of Third-Party AI-Generated Environmental Claymation and Government Brand Trust among Gen-Z
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17977/um087v3i22026p82-99Keywords:
Artificial Intelligence, Enviromental Communication, Government Brand Trust, S-O-R Theory, Elaboration Likelihood ModelAbstract
Environmental advocacy content is no longer produced solely by government institutions but also by artificial intelligence (AI) through independent creators such as @jaditau_claynamation (AI-Clay). As a third-party source, such content may be perceived as more objective and influence Government Brand Trust, particularly in environmental governance. This study examines how AI-based environmental content produced by third parties influences Government Brand Trust. The study integrates the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) and Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) frameworks through a survey analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The sample comprised 167 respondents, predominantly Generation Z, who watched three AI-Clay environmental videos. No control group was used, using self-reported perceptions after exposure. Findings indicate that AI-Clay content is positively associated with emotional engagement and perceived environmental knowledge. However, perceived environmental knowledge is associated with more critical evaluations of government performance and has a significant negative effect on Government Brand Trust (β = –0.089; p = 0.046). These findings suggest that credible third-party AI content can increase perceived environmental knowledge while encouraging more critical evaluations of government environmental performance. The study contributes to environmental communication research by demonstrating how AI-generated third-party content shapes public engagement and government brand evaluations.
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