A surprising majority of diverse religious and non-religious Americans express strong opposition to the rise of AI-generated videos on social media, citing concerns about authenticity and emotional manipulation.



A new study reveals that over half of Evangelical and non-denominational Christians, along with religiously unaffiliated Americans, opposed the increase of AI-generated videos on social media platforms.

The study, conducted by Story Radius between November 24 and December 9, 2024, found that 58% of Evangelical and non-denominational Christians, 57% of Protestants, and 52% of those with no religious affiliation were detractors of AI videos, The Christian Post reported.

“It was somewhat of a surprise that these diverse groups, usually at odds on social issues, all seemed to be in lockstep in their opposition to a future with AI-generated video content,” the report said.

“In open-ended responses, respondents most often express unease about authenticity, emotional manipulation, and the loss of human creativity. Rather than focusing on technical quality, many describe how AI-generated video feels to watch and how it affects trust and immersion,” it added.

“Even when videos appear visually impressive, respondents frequently describe an uncanny quality that pulls them out of the story. Many say this reaction is immediate and emotional, not analytical, and that it makes sustained engagement difficult.”

Additional detractors of AI videos include 15% of respondents from other religions, 35% of Orthodox Christians, and 40% of Catholics.

The respondents explained that the increase in AI-generated videos on social media diminishes the trust, emotional engagement, and desire to remain on Facebook and Instagram.

“These findings suggest we’re facing a trust gap, not just a technology gap,” Brad Cooper, founder and CEO of Story Radius, said in a news release. “AI video may be improving technically, but emotionally and experientially, most audiences are telling us it’s not there yet — and in many cases, it’s actively turning them off.”

Over 80% of respondents said AI-generated videos pull them out of the story at least sometimes, including nearly half who said this happens very often or almost always. Moreover, nearly 50% warned they would use social media less or quit altogether if most videos in their feeds were AI-generated.

“Companies like Meta, Alphabet, ByteDance, and xAI should take note: Respondents indicate that a significant increase in AI-generated videos could negatively affect their use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube,” researchers warned in the report.

The survey was conducted between November 24 and December 9 with 512 U.S. adults using SurveyMonkey’s proprietary Audience Panel.

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