The Influence of AI-Based Political Media Usage Factors on Communication Effectiveness and Political Participation of Citizens in Chiang Rai Province

Abstract

This research investigates the impact of factors related to Artificial Intelligence (AI) usage on the effectiveness of communication and the level of political participation among residents of Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. Anchored in the Information Systems Success Model, the 7C’s framework for communication effectiveness, and the notion of political participation, this study adopts a quantitative methodology. Data were gathered from 400 respondents through stratified random sampling and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression techniques. The results indicate that AI usage factors are perceived at a moderate level, with system quality receiving the highest rating. Communication effectiveness is assessed as high, whereas political participation is viewed as moderate. All factors associated with AI exhibit positive and significant correlations with both communication effectiveness and political participation at the significance level, with correlations ranging from moderate to very strong. The strongest relationships are found with trust and usefulness.  The regression analysis reveals that perceived trust and usefulness are the most significant factors influencing communication effectiveness (β =0.938) and political participation (β = 0.977). These findings underscore the importance of users’ perceptions regarding usefulness, active engagement, and trust in AI systems, which are essential for enhancing communication effectiveness and promoting democratic participation. This study contributes to the expanding field of research on AI-enabled political communication by providing empirical evidence from a provincial context in Thailand. The results suggest that AI-driven political media should be designed to foster meaningful interactions, bolster confidence in information sources, and support informed political decision-making. By delivering tailored and pertinent political information, AI technologies have the potential to enhance civic and political engagement more effectively than traditional mass media, which typically offers uniform content with limited user interaction opportunities.

Highlights
• Trust in AI and its perceived usefulness play the most influential roles in improving communication effectiveness
and encouraging political participation.
• The study combines the Information Systems Success Model, the 7C’s Communication Framework, and Political
Participation Theory to examine AI-enabled political communication.
• AI-powered political media supports more effective communication by fostering political discussions, informed
decision-making, and active civic engagement.
• Evidence from a provincial context in Thailand shows that citizens’ trust in AI has a greater impact on democratic
participation than technical system performance alone.
• The findings provide practical guidance for developing transparent, reliable, and user-centered AI political media
that strengthens democratic communication and public engagement.