Negotiating Digital Authenticity in AI-Assisted MSME Communication
A Case Study of @bandeng_presto_burita
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17977/um087v3i22026p129-140Keywords:
artificial intelligence, digital communication, MSMEs, Social MediaAbstract
The development of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has provided opportunities for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to produce digital communication content more easily, particularly for business owners with limited design skills. However, AI-assisted content production also raises concerns about authenticity when generated visuals appear overly artificial or disconnected from actual products. This study examined how an MSME managed and negotiated product authenticity in AI-assisted digital communication. A qualitative case study was conducted on the Instagram account @bandeng_presto_burita. Data were collected through an interview with the MSME owner and observations of the account’s social media content. The data were analyzed thematically by examining AI use, product representation, human curation, and authenticity management practices. The findings showed that AI was positioned as a production-support tool rather than a complete replacement for human creativity. The owner sought to preserve product authenticity through human curation and by using the actual product as an authenticity anchor that connected digital representations with the physical product. The study suggests that, from the business owner’s perspective, digital communication authenticity among MSMEs is negotiated between technological efficiency and the preservation of business identity and product reality.
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