Fuzhou, August 24, 2026 — A faculty-student research team from the School of Journalism and Communication at Minjiang University (MJU) has published a study in Humanities & Social Sciences Communications, a journal in the Nature Portfolio, examining how women in the Global South negotiate AI-generated health information.
Titled Negotiating the algorithm: an ethnographic study of AIGC and women's reproductive health in the global south, the paper lists Minjiang University as its first affiliation. Professor Wang Yan of the School of Journalism and Communication is the first author, with Dr. Chen Hongcai of the Fujian Research Center for Digital Media Economics and industry mentor Yuan Shuai serving as co-corresponding authors. Graduate students Chen Zhongshan, Mao Derun, and Li Xuanning participated throughout the research process.
Drawing on in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and digital ethnographic fieldwork in Nigeria, South Africa, Latin America (Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador), and the Philippines, the study engaged more than 100 women of reproductive age. It finds that while AI-generated content (AIGC) improves access to health information and enables personalized interaction, it also carries risks of misinformation, amplified algorithmic bias, and cultural mismatch. Digital divides, cultural context, ethical frameworks, and social trust emerge as key mediators of its cognitive impact. Notably, the research shows that local women are not passive recipients of AI-generated information, but active meaning-makers who negotiate with the algorithm.
The study extends the research frontier at the intersection of AI-generated content and health communication, offers evidence-based guidance for technology developers, health systems, and policymakers on the deployment of AIGC, and contributes to the pursuit of global health equity.
The achievement marks a breakthrough for the School of Journalism and Communication in international communication research and global research collaboration, and exemplifies the school's dual-mentor model that integrates cutting-edge research into graduate training.