DEVELOPING THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE QUALITY INDEX (AIQI) TO MEASURE AI CONTENT SATURATION IN DIGITAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENTS

Abstract

The rapid growth of generative artificial intelligence has transformed digital media by enabling the large-scale creation and circulation of text, images, videos, and interactive content. Although AI can improve speed, accessibility, and creative productivity, its increasing presence also raises concerns about repetitive content, uncertainty about authenticity, cognitive fatigue, and reduced quality of online experience. This paper introduces the Artificial Intelligence Quality Index (AIQI), a pilot instrument developed to measure perceived AI content saturation in digital media environments. The study conceptualizes this condition as "AI Pollution," defined not as the presence of AI itself, but as a perceived imbalance created when synthetic, repetitive, or difficult-to-verify content becomes excessive in users' digital environments. The AIQI was developed as a 10-item, four-point Likert-type scale covering three domains: Particulate Saturation (content load), Cognitive Oxygen (mental impact), and Feedback Toxicity (health response). A cross-sectional online pilot survey was conducted from 2 February to 21 February 2026. After data cleaning and merging three linked form blocks, 163 complete responses were used for analysis. The overall scale demonstrated good preliminary internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .805). The mean AIQI score was 186.0 (SD = 58.3), with 52.1% of respondents classified in the Unhealthy category and 12.9% in the Hazardous category. One item, Organic Scarcity, showed weaker item-total correlation and requires revision before the main study. The findings indicate that AIQI is a feasible and promising instrument for examining AI-related content saturation, digital wellbeing, and user experience in contemporary media environments.