생성형 AI 도입 이후 Q&A 플랫폼 사용자 질문 행태 변화: 도구적(Utilitarian) 키워드 중심으로

This study empirically investigates how user questioning behavior on Q&A platforms has changed following the emergence of generative artificial intelligence (Generative AI), focused on ChatGPT. Focusing on the IT/Tech category of Naver Knowledge iN, we examine shifts in user behavior before and after the release of ChatGPT. The analysis investigates utilitarian keywords (coding, python, Java, C language) associated with functional problem solving. Employing a combination of the Synthetic Control Method and Difference-in-Differences analysis, we find a statistically significant decline in both the number of questions involving utilitarian keywords and the ratio of questions to searches following the adoption of generative AI. These findings suggest that users increasingly tend to accept AI-generated responses over human answers when faced with structured problem scenario. This indicates a shift in user questioning behavior within the Q&A platform. Based on the theory of algorithm aversion, this study empirically confirmed that user acceptance of AI is contingent on the characteristics of information. Therefore, it contributes to a deeper understanding of the structural transformation of the digital knowledge ecosystem and the evolving dynamics of human-AI interaction in the era of generative AI.