Do You Worry in the Context of AIGC: The Mechanism of User Privacy Concerns

In the era of AIGC, characterized by the growth of information, users are increasingly concerned about their privacy. Although privacy-related issues are prevalent, the impact of information overload and AI-induced social emotions on privacy concerns remains largely unexplored. This study aims to explore the factors influencing privacy concerns in an AIGC-enabled environment. Data were collected from users who utilize AIGC. The results reveal that AIGC can lead to social fatigue and anxiety, which are exacerbated by information overload. These issues can influence privacy concerns. Furthermore, perceived risk positively affects the relationship between social fatigue and privacy concerns. Additionally, there exists mutual effects among the factors, and two configurations of privacy concerns were identified. This study sheds light on how users’ emotions and information overload impact privacy concerns in the context of AI-generated content (AIGC), as well as the role of perceived risk in moderating these relationships.