Assessing the Efficacy of Ai-Generated Anti-Drug Abuse Messages on Social Media Platforms among Youths in Anambra State

The study assessed the efficacy of AI-generated anti-drug abuse messages on social media platforms among youths in Anambra State. Specifically, it examined the level of youth engagement with AI-generated messages, assessed their effectiveness in changing attitudes toward drug abuse, and determined the role of AI in improving message personalization and persuasion. The study employed a quantitative survey method. Data were gathered from 386 respondents and analyzed using frequency tables, percentages, and chi-square goodness-of-fit tests. Findings revealed that a majority of the respondents engage with AI-generated messages at least occasionally, and this engagement pattern differed significantly from chance (χ2 = 22.99, df = 3, p < .001). AI-generated messages were perceived by a plurality of respondents to positively influence attitudes toward drug abuse, and personalized, persuasive AI-driven messaging was perceived as more effective than traditional anti-drug campaigns by a majority of respondents. In light of these findings, the study recommends that health agencies, educators, and communication professionals adopt AI tools to create targeted, engaging, and behaviour-changing anti-drug content for youth audiences across digital platforms.

AI-generated messages, Drug Abuse, Youths

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