RESEARCH PAPERS

Grounded Theory Research on Value Co-Creation Between Users and Generative AI

  • Li Lirui ,
  • Zhang Jiacheng ,
  • Deng Xiaozhao
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  • 1 Faculty of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715;
    2 Department of Information Resource Management, Business School, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071;
    3 Research Center for Information Behavior, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071;
    4 College of Computer and Information Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715
Li Lirui, Associate Professor, PhD, Master’s Supervisor; Zhang Jiacheng, Doctoral Candidate, Corresponding Author, E-mail: zjc611@email.swu.edu.cn; Deng Xiaozhao, Professor, PhD, Doctoral Supervisor.

Received date: 2025-01-10

  Revised date: 2025-02-18

  Online published: 2026-03-04

Supported by

This work is supported by the Chongqing Natural Science Foundation General Program titled “Research on Interaction Behavior and Value Co-Creation between Users and Intelligent Robots in Public Cultural Service Contexts” (Grant No.CSTB2024NSCQ-MSX0916); and the Chongqing Graduate Education and Teaching Reform Research General Project titled “Study on the Evaluation and Improvement Strategies of Graduate Teachers’ Digital Teaching Competence from the Perspective of Human-AI Collaboration” (Grant No.yjg243023).

Abstract

[Purpose/Significance] Systematically exploring the value co-creation between users and generative artificial intelligence provides important reference for deepening the theory of human-AI value co-creation, promoting human-centered AI value realization, and driving business model innovation. [Method/Process] Based on conceptual analysis, a user-centered model of the value co-creation mechanism between users and generative artificial intelligence was constructed. [Result/Conclusion] The results indicate that value co-creation between users and generative AI is a dynamic and complex process. Through co-creation behaviors such as paid subscription, conversational interaction, service acceptance, responsible usage, result feedback, and product promotion, users co-create functional, cost, experiential, relational, and symbolic values with generative AI. Moreover, the process and outcome of value co-creation are influenced by six internal and external factors: behavioral motivation, individual characteristics, generated content, model system, interaction process, and social impact.

Cite this article

Li Lirui , Zhang Jiacheng , Deng Xiaozhao . Grounded Theory Research on Value Co-Creation Between Users and Generative AI[J]. Library and Information Service, 2026 , 70(5) : 116 -130 . DOI: 10.13266/j.issn.0252-3116.2026.05.010

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