Wrapped in Anansi's Web: Unweaving the Impacts of Generative-AI Personalization and VR Immersion in Oral Storytelling

TL;DR

This study introduces Anansi the Spider VR, a novel immersive platform combining VR and generative AI to revitalize oral storytelling among youth, demonstrating increased engagement and cultural interest through personalization.

Contribution

The paper presents a new VR environment that integrates generative AI for personalized storytelling, enhancing engagement and cultural learning in oral traditions.

Findings

Personalization significantly increases user engagement.

VR enhances interest in cultural storytelling.

Participants valued the immersive and personalized experience.

Abstract

Oral traditions, vital to cultural identity, are losing relevance among youth due to the dominance of modern media. This study addresses the revitalization of these traditions by reconnecting young people with folklore. We introduce Anansi the Spider VR, a novel virtual space that combines first-person virtual reality (VR) with generative artificial intelligence (Gen-AI)-driven narrative personalization. This space immerses users in the Anansi Spider story, empowering them to influence the narrative as they envision themselves as the `protagonists,' thereby enhancing personal reflection. In a 2 by 2 between-subjects study with 48 participants, we employed a mixed-method approach to measure user engagement and changes in interest, complemented by semi-structured interviews providing qualitative insights into personalization and immersion. Our results indicate that personalization in VR significantly boosts engagement and cultural learning interest. We recommend that future studies using VR and Gen-AI to revitalize oral storytelling prioritize respecting cultural integrity and honoring original storytellers and communities.