Sounding Trustworthy: AI-Generated Audio Outperforms Video and Images in Political Communication

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming political communication through AI-generated content, including deepfake videos, synthetic voices, and digitally manipulated images. While these advancements offer new opportunities for engagement, they also raise concerns about misinformation and political trust. This study investigates the effects of AI-generated media formats on individuals' willingness to follow political recommendations and the role of media realism in shaping trust. Through an online experiment, 150 participants assessed political content in varying degrees of realism across audio, video, and image formats. Results were analyzed using a combination of linear mixed effects analysis and natural language processing, and indicate that AI-generated audio is perceived as more trustworthy than image or video content, while lower realism levels trigger skepticism. These findings contribute to discussions on political AI, emphasizing the need for media literacy and regulatory frameworks to mitigate misinformation risks.