# The Placebo Effect of Artificial Intelligence in Human-Computer Interaction

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2204.04935 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2204.04935/

## Key facts

- Cited by 9 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 11 Apr 2022.

## Built on by (most cited first, 9 of 9)

- [The AI Ghostwriter Effect: When Users Do Not Perceive Ownership of AI-Generated Text But Self-Declare as Authors](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.03283/) (2023)
- [Not Just Novelty: A Longitudinal Study on Utility and Customization of an AI Workflow](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.09894/) (2024)
- ["AI enhances our performance, I have no doubt this one will do the same": The Placebo effect is robust to negative descriptions of AI](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2309.16606/) (2023)
- [Cognitive Spillover in Human-AI Teams](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2407.17489/) (2024)
- [Mental Models of Autonomy and Sentience Shape Reactions to AI](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2512.09085/) (2025)
- [Large Language Models to the Rescue: Reducing the Complexity in Scientific Workflow Development Using ChatGPT](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2311.01825/) (2023)
- [From Sound to Sight: Towards AI-authored Music Videos](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.00029/) (2025)
- [Facilitating Longitudinal Interaction Studies of AI Systems](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.10252/) (2025)
- [AI Washing Inflates Expected Performance but Not Interaction Outcomes: An AI Placebo Study Using Fitts' Law](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.00582/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

In medicine, patients can obtain real benefits from a sham treatment. These benefits are known as the placebo effect. We report two experiments (Experiment I: N=369; Experiment II: N=100) demonstrating a placebo effect in adaptive interfaces. Participants were asked to solve word puzzles while being supported by no system or an adaptive AI interface. All participants experienced the same word puzzle difficulty and had no support from an AI throughout the experiments. Our results showed that the belief of receiving adaptive AI support increases expectations regarding the participant's own task performance, sustained after interaction. These expectations were positively correlated to performance, as indicated by the number of solved word puzzles. We integrate our findings into technological acceptance theories and discuss implications for the future assessment of AI-based user interfaces and novel technologies. We argue that system descriptions can elicit placebo effects through user expectations biasing the results of user-centered studies.