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A meta-analysis of the persuasive power of large language models
- Truvace record
- TRV-2026-2706raw data (JSON)
- Version
- v1Published
- First published
- Evidence type
- Systematic review or meta-analysis
- Sources
- 1 sourcePeer-reviewed
- sha256
- 26cae46085dc…check it
Large language models (LLMs) are increasingly used for persuasion, such as in political communication and marketing, where they affect how people think, choose, and act. Yet, empirical findings on the effectiveness of LLMs in persuasion compared to humans remain inconsistent. The aim of this study was to systematically review and meta-analytically assess whether LLMs differ from humans in persuasive effectiveness, and under which contextual conditions LLMs are particularly effective. We identified 7 studies with…
The gain
A meta-analysis of 7 studies with 17,422 participants found no significant overall difference in persuasiveness between LLM-generated and human-written messages, so the models matched human persuaders on average.
What this doesn’t fix
Only 7 studies with 12 effect sizes were eligible, which limits the subgroup analyses. All studies recruited from online convenience panels, so the findings may not generalize beyond U.S.-centric Western samples, and several included studies are not peer reviewed.
Sources
1 on file- Scientific Reportsdoi:10.1038/s41598-025-30783-y
What the review found when it combined the studies
These are the review’s own pooled results, copied from its abstract. Truvace did not recalculate them.
Persuasive effectiveness of large language model messages compared with human-written messages
Hedges' g 0.02 (95% CI −0.048 to 0.093)
7 studies · 17,422 people
The review’s own words
The overall effect size was very small and nonsignificant (g = 0.02, p = .530, 95% CI [−0.048, 0.093]).
Code checks every number above against the review’s text before it is shown. The short labels are an AI model’s reading of that text, so the review’s own sentence sits under each one. A pooled figure is only as strong as the studies behind it. How Truvace uses pooled results
Cite this record
v1Truvace Impact Record TRV-2026-2706, v1: “A meta-analysis of the persuasive power of large language models.” Truvace, 2026-11-12. /record/TRV-2026-2706 (accessed on the day you copy it). sha256 26cae46085dcc536…
Change history
1 versionEvery change made to this record since it was first published, and why. Nothing has changed since it went up.
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