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When AI Does the Work: Does Attribution Shape Meaning and Effort?

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  • Nikolova, Milena

    (University of Groningen)

  • Milanova, Vilian

    (University of Groningen)

  • Wang, Feicheng

    (University of Groningen)

Abstract

This paper provides the first causal evidence that merely attributing identical creative work to AI rather than to a human affects how much meaning people derive from a task and how much effort they are willing to contribute. We conducted a preregistered survey experiment in nationally representative samples from the United States (N = 1,511) and the Netherlands (N = 2,117). Participants evaluated identical public health campaign slogans that were randomly attributed either to an AI system or to a human professional, allowing us to isolate the causal effect of AI attribution while holding the creative output constant. AI attribution reduced perceived task meaning modestly and made participants 13% less likely to contribute a slogan of their own, indicating lower voluntary effort. These findings suggest that AI can influence work not only by changing productivity but also by altering the perceived value of human contribution itself.

Suggested Citation

  • Nikolova, Milena & Milanova, Vilian & Wang, Feicheng, 2026. "When AI Does the Work: Does Attribution Shape Meaning and Effort?," IZA Discussion Papers 18784, IZA Network @ LISER.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18784
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. De Neve, Jan-Emmanuel & Ward, George, 2017. "Happiness at work," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 83604, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
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    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General
    • I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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