DIGITAL NARRATIVES AND CULTURAL IDENTITY: EXPLORING AI-INFLUENCED LITERARY PRODUCTION IN CONTEMPORARY PAKISTANI LITERATURE

Abstract

The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed contemporary literary production by introducing new forms of digital creativity, automated content generation, and AI-assisted storytelling. This study examined the influence of AI-Influenced Literary Production on Cultural Identity Representation in contemporary Pakistani literature, with Digital Narratives Quality serving as a mediating variable and Digital Platform Engagement functioning as a moderating variable. Grounded in Cultural Identity Theory, the study employed a quantitative cross-sectional research design and collected data from 400 writers, literary scholars, publishers, digital content creators, and academics across Pakistan. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) through SmartPLS. The findings revealed that AI-Influenced Literary Production significantly enhanced Digital Narratives Quality and positively contributed to Cultural Identity Representation. Digital Narratives Quality partially mediated the relationship between AI-assisted literary production and cultural identity, indicating that improved narrative quality serves as a key mechanism through which AI influences cultural expression. Furthermore, Digital Platform Engagement significantly strengthened the relationship between AI-Influenced Literary Production and Digital Narratives Quality. The study demonstrates that AI can function as a valuable collaborative tool for literary creativity, cultural preservation, and digital storytelling when integrated with human oversight and contextual understanding. The findings contribute to the growing literature on AI, digital humanities, and cultural identity by providing empirical evidence from the Pakistani literary context and offering practical insights for writers, publishers, educators, and policymakers.