Struggle Premium : How Human Effort and Imperfection Drive Perceived Value in the Age of AI
This research addresses the problem of judging authenticity and value in creative works for audiences in the age of AI, offering insights for designing transparent human-AI systems, though it is incremental in extending existing effort heuristics.
The study investigated the Struggle Premium, where perceived human effort increases the value of creative works, by analyzing how effort cues like process videos and time documentation affect evaluations of human- and AI-generated content. Results showed that process-oriented cues strongly influenced authenticity and value judgments, with 72.9% of participants willing to pay more for human-made works, and effort cues also improved perceptions of AI-generated content.
As AI enters creative practice, audiences face growing uncertainty in judging authenticity and value. This study examines the Struggle Premium, the added value attributed to perceived human effort, by analyzing how visible effort cues influence evaluations of human- and AI-generated creative works. We surveyed 70 university students, focusing on process videos, time documentation, written explanations, and imperfections. Process-oriented cues, especially videos and time spent, most strongly shaped authenticity and value judgments, while imperfections had limited impact. Participants showed a clear preference for human-made works, with 72.9% willing to pay more. Notably, effort cues also improved perceptions of AI-generated content, suggesting that process transparency can partially bridge authenticity gaps. These findings extend the effort heuristic to algorithmic creativity and inform the design of transparent human-AI creative systems.