Research Summary: Navigating the Changing Landscape of Online Knowledge Consumption and Production in the Age of Generative AI: Evidence from Stack Overflow

The advent of Generative AI, particularly ChatGPT, has altered the dynamics of online knowledge communities by influencing how users consume and produce information. On platforms like Stack Overflow, information consumers have transitioned to answering questions, though their contributions are less frequently accepted. Established information producers, however, have largely maintained their pre-AI participation patterns, suggesting a stratification of impact based on prior roles.

Why it matters

This shift highlights the evolving nature of digital collaboration and expertise in the age of AI, indicating that while new tools can lower barriers to participation, they do not automatically confer authority or acceptance. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for platforms and organizations that rely on community-generated knowledge, as it impacts content quality, contributor engagement, and the perceived value of collective intelligence.

Key insights

• Generative AI has impacted the division of 'epistemic labor' within online knowledge communities.
• Post-ChatGPT release, users previously categorized as information 'consumers' on Stack Overflow increased their production of answers.
• Answers provided by these newly active 'consumers' were less likely to be accepted by the community compared to the pre-ChatGPT period.
• The increased production from consumers did not translate into equivalent community standing or recognition.
• Users identified as established 'producers' of knowledge did not significantly change their question-answering behavior following ChatGPT's release.

Source

arXiv — Computers and Society — https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.38563