TLDR: New research from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business indicates that generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, both enhance and hinder user contributions in online help forums. While AI can lead to more frequent and readable answers, excessive reliance on these tools can overwhelm users, potentially decreasing their overall participation.
New research from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business has shed light on the complex impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, like ChatGPT, on online question-and-answer (Q&A) communities. The study, published on September 12, 2025, reveals that these AI tools present a ‘double-edged effect,’ simultaneously empowering users to be more helpful while also potentially burdening them to the point of reducing their contributions.
Online help communities, ranging from Reddit and Quora to specialized forums like Stack Overflow, are vital digital spaces where individuals share knowledge and solve problems. These platforms traditionally rely on voluntary contributions from users worldwide. However, the advent of generative AI has introduced a new dynamic to these interactions.
Liangfei Qiu, a study co-author and PricewaterhouseCoopers Professor at the University of Florida, explained the dual nature of AI’s influence. ‘On the positive side, AI helps users learn to write more organized and readable answers, leading to a noticeable increase in the number of responses,’ Qiu stated. This suggests that AI can serve as a valuable assistant, improving the quality and structure of user-generated content.
However, the research also identified a significant drawback. ‘When users rely too heavily on AI, the mental effort required to process and refine AI outputs can actually reduce participation,’ Qiu added. ‘In other words, AI both empowers and burdens contributors: it enables more engagement and better readability, but too much reliance can slow people down.’ This indicates that while AI can generate initial drafts, the subsequent human effort to review, edit, and personalize these outputs can become a deterrent.
The study specifically examined Stack Overflow, one of the world’s largest Q&A platforms for computer programmers, to analyze the impact of generative AI on both the quantity and quality of user contributions. Qiu and his co-author Guohou Shan of Northeastern University’s D’Amore-McKim School of Business measured several key metrics, including the number of answers generated per day, answer length, and readability.
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The findings were compelling: users who leveraged AI tools to generate their responses contributed almost 17% more answers per day compared to their non-AI-using counterparts. Furthermore, the answers produced with AI assistance were found to be approximately 23% shorter and notably easier to read. While these statistics highlight AI’s potential to boost productivity and clarity, the overarching conclusion emphasizes the need for a balanced approach to AI integration in collaborative online environments to avoid overwhelming users and inadvertently stifling participation.
