AI-Mediated Communication
Communication between people that is generated, shaped, filtered or supported by AI systems.
AI-mediated communication describes communication between people that is generated, shaped, filtered or supported by AI systems. It includes situations where AI drafts a message, adjusts tone, recommends a reply, translates language or influences what one person sees from another.
Why it matters
AI can change how people sound, what they disclose, how quickly they respond and how much responsibility they feel for a message. It can make communication smoother, but it can also blur authorship, sincerity and accountability.
This makes AI-mediated communication important for work, education, relationships, media and culture.
What not to simplify
This is not only about chatbots. Often the conversation is still person-to-person, but AI sits in the middle as an assistant, editor, recommender or filter. The human relationship remains central, even when the wording or visibility of communication is shaped by a system.
Sources and context
- Hancock, J. T., Naaman, M., & Levy, K. (2020). AI-mediated communication: Definition, research agenda, and ethical considerations. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 25(1), 89-100. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcmc/zmz022
- Max Planck Institute for Human Development. (n.d.). AI-mediated communication. Retrieved July 1, 2026, from https://www.mpib-berlin.mpg.de/1666343/03-ai-mediated-communication
- Stanford Social Media Lab. (2020). AI-mediated communication: Definition, research agenda, and ethical considerations. https://sml.stanford.edu/publications/2020/ai-mediated-communication-definition-research-agenda-and-ethical-considerations
© 2026 Feliks Mamczur / Prompted Psyche. All rights reserved. Short quotations are permitted only with attribution to the author, the title and a link to the source.