AI-Generated Virtual Instructors Based on Liked or Admired People Can Improve Motivation and Foster Positive Emotions for Learning

This paper presents the results of a study with 134 participants to explore the effects of learning from an AI-generated virtual instructor that resembles a person one likes or admires. Given the important role instructors play in shaping learning experiences, as well as the recent surge in demand for online education, we investigate the potential for AI-generated instructors to motivate learning. Recent advances in generative AI have made it easy to create virtual instructors based on the likeness of a present-day, historical or fictional person, thereby enabling customization of video instructors based on the material, context and student. We found that while greater degrees of liking and admiration do not result in increased test scores, they can significantly improve students’ motivation towards learning, foster more positive emotions, and boost their appraisal of the AI-generated instructor as serving as an effective instructor.