Study of 300 people suggests AI nudges boost engagement with cultural heritage

The work had three stages: content analysis of 262 articles that identified five themes, 25 in-depth interviews, and 300 experiments and surveys using six nudge images representing Indian and UK cultures. Each image was framed as neutral, positive or negative.

Negative nudges, described as afraid and bitter, worked best at encouraging responsible behaviour. Effects varied with a person's cultural identity, perceived cultural accuracy and the potential for AI hallucination, so the authors point to tailored messaging for different audiences.

The researchers started from a stated decline in responsible tourism at cultural heritage sites, as many visitors disengage from volunteering, donating or mindful visits. They tested whether personalised, emotionally resonant AI nudges could change that.

In the third stage, 300 participants took part in experiments and surveys built around six nudge images representing Indian and UK cultures. Each image was categorised as neutral, positive or negative, and the team measured engagement.

The authors report that cultural identity, perceived cultural accuracy and the potential for AI hallucination shaped how well nudges worked. They suggest future work should cover broader cultural contexts, use longitudinal designs, add objective behavioural data and examine AI transparency and immersive technologies such as VR and AR.