How AI might help with animal adoptions

Do people respond differently to digital animals compared to real ones?

And can that distinction make a difference in a nonprofit campaign?

These are questions University of Cincinnati Professor Victoria LaPoe is investigating in the Department of Journalism where she teaches digital media.

Before coming to UC this year to head the journalism department, LaPoe taught journalism at Ohio University, where she volunteered with the Athens County Humane Society. She saw firsthand how hard it was for nonprofits to meet their fundraising and adoption needs.

Researchers, including UC Assistant Professor Benjamin LaPoe, surveyed more than 300 people nationwide as part of a digital campaign exploring topics ranging from adoptions and donations to emotional support animals and social media use.

“We had pics of real cats taken at the Humane Society and images of an AI bulldog. And the AI bulldog looks a little more cartoonish to me than the real one. But I think because it looks more polished, that stood out to people than the real photos,” she said.

Researchers found that messaging produced by AI scored lower in emotional authenticity and empathetic tone than those created by people. Traditional content generated stronger emotional connections, which directly influenced adoption and donor interest.

LaPoe and her co-authors concluded that care is needed when using AI-generated messaging to maintain emotional authenticity and genuine connection with the target audience.

LaPoe shared her findings with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

“It was exciting to see this research presented at our ASPCA Research Forum,” said Bailey Eagan, the nonprofit group's director of research. “Understanding how AI-generated imagery influences potential adopters and donors gives shelters valuable insight into how to craft authentic, effective campaigns.”

Co-author Adonis Durado, an associate professor at Ohio University, said AI tools can be both useful and problematic. During his career in advertising, he learned how to craft persuasive messages for target audiences.

“That experience taught me how powerful storytelling can be when it is authentic and emotionally honest,” he said.

AI tools can help nonprofit groups analyze tone, predict audience response and identify emotionally resonant messages associated with successful appeals, he said.

“For nonprofits, AI can be incredibly helpful. It can study what kinds of stories or visuals connect with people and what makes someone stop scrolling, click donate or share a post,” he said.

But there’s a risk that the audience might associate AI with artifice or manipulation, he said.

“If organizations rely too heavily on automation, messages can start to feel generic or manipulative,” he said. “The same survey showed that authenticity and brand consistency matter deeply to audiences — and that is where human creativity still matters most. Nonprofits depend on trust. If people sense that an AI wrote something that feels too perfect, it can backfire.”