“APAEM Seminar Series: AI in the Pen: How Real-time AI Writing Guidance Shapes Online Reviews” Successfully Held

On March 27, 2026, the “APAEM Seminar Series: AI in the Pen: How Real-time AI Writing Guidance Shapes Online Reviews” was successfully held at the University of Macau. The event was organized by the Asia-Pacific Academy of Economics and Management (APAEM) at the University of Macau (UM), with support from UM’s Faculty of Business Administration (FBA). The seminar featured Prof. Sai Liang, Professor of Tourism Management at the College of Tourism and Service Management at Nankai University, as the keynote speaker. The session was moderated by Prof. Rob Law, Deputy Director of APAEM.

During the seminar, Prof. Sai Liang explored how AI tools influence the process of generating online reviews. Drawing on self-determination theory, he highlighted that AI-driven writing guidance effectively shapes the thematic focus of reviews. While such tools tend to increase review length, they also reduce overall review volume, revealing a trade-off between depth and productivity. Moreover, broader topic coverage comes with greater textual complexity and lower readability, which ultimately leads to fewer helpfulness votes for the reviews.

The seminar deepened attendees’ understanding of AI’s role in content generation and discussed the implications for platforms aiming to use AI in managing online content, as well as for other stakeholders involved in producing and consuming digital content. The event attracted active participation from faculty, students, and researchers both within and outside the university, sparking discussions on the strategic use of AI writing tools to shape review structure and influence users’ perceptions of helpfulness.