The AI-mediated gamification of affective labor: The reconfiguration of participatory fan production in human–community–machine interactions

This study examines the life-cycle of LiPu, a Chinese ACGN (Anime, Comics, Games, and Novels) AI-powered fandom platform that integrates AI-generated fan creation and automated chatbots, to analyze the reconfiguration of participatory fan production in human–community–machine interactions. Employing the walkthrough method and interviews, this study introduces the concept of “AI-mediated gamification of affective labor” (AGAL) which encompasses the gamification of fan creation into a memetic replication of AI-generated content templates (content creation), the quantification and incentivization of emotional investment via algorithmic governance (labor management), and the simulation of reciprocal parasociality to sustain engagement (engagement sustainability). The AGAL reveals a shift in fan production, from platforms that manage fan activities to platforms that generate the very content and relational fabric of those activities, enabling governance not only through algorithmic extension but also through generative infrastructure. This study offers an account of early possibilities, user practices, and structural challenges in this emerging field.