GroupEnvoy: A Conversational Agent Speaking for the Outgroup to Foster Intergroup Relations

TL;DR

This study introduces GroupEnvoy, a conversational agent designed to foster better intergroup relations by representing outgroup perspectives, leading to reduced anxiety and increased perspective-taking among university students.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel AI-mediated contact approach grounded in intergroup contact theory, demonstrating its effectiveness in improving intergroup attitudes.

Findings

Experimental group showed greater reduction in intergroup anxiety.

Participants using GroupEnvoy had improved perspective-taking.

AI-mediated contact increased positive outcome expectations.

Abstract

Conversational agents have the potential to support intergroup relations when psychological or linguistic barriers prevent direct interaction. Based on intergroup contact theory, we propose GroupEnvoy, a conversational agent that represents outgroup perspectives during ingroup discussions, grounded in transcripts from outgroup-only sessions. To evaluate this approach and derive design principles, we conducted a mixed-methods, between-subjects study with university students, where host-country students formed the ingroup and international students formed the outgroup. Ingroup students performed a collaborative task, receiving outgroup perspectives via GroupEnvoy (experimental) or reading written transcripts (control). Compared to the control group, the experimental group showed greater reduction in intergroup anxiety and greater improvement in perspective-taking. Qualitatively, AI-mediated contact enhanced outcome expectancies, whereas passive exposure fostered future contact intentions. The two conditions also elicited empathy toward distinct targets: outgroup evaluations of the ingroup versus outgroup lived experiences. These findings validate AI-mediated contact as a promising paradigm for improving intergroup relations.