Study Shows AI-Generated Vaping Ads Are as Effective as Official Campaigns in Educating Youth

A recent study conducted by the University of Queensland has demonstrated that AI-generated advertisements, co-designed with young people, are perceived to be equally or more effective than traditional health agency-created campaigns in raising awareness about youth vaping. The research highlights the potential of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to accelerate the development of impactful public health messages by reducing the time lag from identifying health risks to launching awareness campaigns.

The study involved 600 Australian participants aged 16–25, who evaluated 50 different advertisements — 25 created with AI and co-designed with youth, and 25 from existing official health sources. Participants were informed that these ads were either AI-developed or created by the World Health Organization, with some being labeled as AI-generated. Despite the labeling, young people showed little negative bias towards AI-created content, likely due to their familiarity with emerging technologies.

Associate Professor Gary Chung Kai Chan from UQ’s National Center for Youth Substance Use Research explained that traditional mass media campaigns are crucial for changing health behaviors but come with significant delays. He emphasized that AI, especially GenAI, can help expedite campaign development, allowing for quicker responses to emerging health issues. For example, while concerns about vaping harms surfaced in 2018, the first substantial media campaign in Australia was only launched in 2021.

The research also points out that the approach of co-designing AI advertisements with youth can be applied to various other health challenges. AI's ability to rapidly generate images and text enables health agencies to respond swiftly to public health threats, potentially saving lives and reducing harm.

However, the study also warns about the risks associated with AI, particularly the ease of mass-producing convincing health misinformation. This underscores the need for robust regulatory frameworks to ensure transparency and prevent disinformation.

Looking ahead, researchers aim to explore whether AI-generated health messages can influence actual behavior change, not just perceptions. Dr. Tianze Sun noted that even when ads are openly labeled as AI-created, they still possess strong appeal among youth, further supporting the integration of this technology into future health campaigns.

This innovative use of AI in public health communication holds promise for more rapid, engaging, and effective responses to health risks affecting young populations.