The Role of Generative AI in P2P Rental Platforms: Investigating the Effects of Timing and Interactivity on User Reliance in Content (Co-)Creation Processes
Niko Spatscheck, Myriam Schaschek, Christoph Tomitza, and Axel Winkelmann
This study investigates how Generative AI can best assist users on peer-to-peer (P2P) rental platforms like Airbnb in writing property listings. Through an experiment with 244 participants, the researchers tested how the timing of when AI suggestions are offered and the level of interactivity (automatic vs. user-prompted) influence how much a user relies on the AI.
Problem
While Generative AI offers a powerful way to help property hosts create compelling listings, platforms don't know the most effective way to implement these tools. It's unclear if AI assistance is more impactful at the beginning or end of the writing process, or if users prefer to actively ask for help versus receiving it automatically. This study addresses this knowledge gap to provide guidance for designing better AI co-writing assistants.
Outcome
- Offering AI suggestions earlier in the writing process significantly increases how much users rely on them. - Allowing users to actively prompt the AI for assistance leads to a slightly higher reliance compared to receiving suggestions automatically. - Higher cognitive load (mental effort) reduces a user's reliance on AI-generated suggestions. - For businesses like Airbnb, these findings suggest that AI writing tools should be designed to engage users at the very beginning of the content creation process to maximize their adoption and impact.
Host: Welcome to A.I.S. Insights, the podcast where we connect Living Knowledge to your business. I'm your host, Anna Ivy Summers. Host: Today, we're diving into the world of e-commerce and artificial intelligence, looking at a fascinating new study titled: "The Role of Generative AI in P2P Rental Platforms: Investigating the Effects of Timing and Interactivity on User Reliance in Content (Co-)Creation Processes". Host: That’s a mouthful, so we have our analyst, Alex Ian Sutherland, here to break it down for us. Alex, welcome. Expert: Great to be here, Anna. Host: So, in simple terms, what is this study all about? Expert: It’s about finding the best way for platforms like Airbnb to use Generative AI to help hosts write their property descriptions. The researchers wanted to know if it matters *when* the AI offers help, and *how* it offers that help—for example, automatically or only when the user asks for it. Host: And that's a real challenge for these companies, isn't it? They have this powerful AI technology, but they don't necessarily know the most effective way to deploy it. Expert: Exactly. The core problem is this: if you're a host on a rental platform, a great listing description is crucial. It can be the difference between getting a booking or not. AI can help, but if it's implemented poorly, it can backfire. Host: How so? Expert: Well, the study points out that if a platform fully automates the writing process, it risks creating generic, homogenized content. All the listings start to sound the same, losing that unique, personal touch which is a key advantage of peer-to-peer platforms. It can even erode guest trust if the descriptions feel inauthentic. Host: So the goal is collaboration with the AI, not a complete takeover. How did the researchers test this? Expert: They ran a clever experiment with 244 participants using a simulated Airbnb-like interface. Each person was asked to write a property listing. Expert: The researchers then changed two key things for different groups. First, the timing. Some people got AI suggestions *before* they started writing, some got them halfway *during*, and others only *after* they had finished their own draft. Expert: The second factor was interactivity. For some, the AI suggestions popped up automatically. For others, they had to actively click a button to ask the AI for help. Host: A very controlled environment. So, what did they find? What's the magic formula? Expert: The clearest finding was about timing. Offering AI suggestions earlier in the writing process significantly increases how much people rely on them. Host: Why do you think that is? Expert: The study brings up a concept called "psychological ownership." Once you've spent time and effort writing your own description, you feel attached to it. An AI suggestion that comes in late feels more like an intrusive criticism. But when it comes in at the start, on a blank page, it feels like a helpful starting point. Host: That makes perfect sense. And what about that second factor, being prompted versus having it appear automatically? Expert: The results there showed that allowing users to actively prompt the AI for assistance leads to a slightly higher reliance. It wasn't a huge effect, but it points to the importance of user control. When people feel like they're in the driver's seat, they are more receptive to the AI's input. Host: Fascinating. So, let's get to the most important part for our listeners. Alex, what does this mean for business? What are the practical takeaways? Expert: There are a few crucial ones. First, if you're integrating a generative AI writing tool, design it to engage users right at the beginning of the task. Don't wait. A "help me write the first draft" button is much more effective than a "let me edit what you've already done" button. Expert: Second, empower your users. Give them agency. Designing features that allow users to request AI help, rather than just pushing it on them, can foster more trust and better adoption of the tool. Expert: And finally, a key finding was that when users felt a high cognitive load—meaning they were feeling mentally drained by the task—their reliance on the AI actually went down. So a well-designed tool should be simple, intuitive, and reduce the user's mental effort, not add to it. Host: So the big lesson is that implementation truly matters. It's not just about having the technology, but about integrating it in a thoughtful, human-centric way. Expert: Precisely. The goal isn't to replace the user, but to create an effective human-AI collaboration that makes their job easier while preserving the quality and authenticity of the final product. Host: Fantastic insights. So to recap: for the best results, bring the AI in early, give users control, and focus on true collaboration. Host: Alex Ian Sutherland, thank you so much for breaking down this complex topic for us. Expert: My pleasure, Anna. Host: And thank you to our audience for tuning into A.I.S. Insights — powered by Living Knowledge. We'll see you next time.
