Gamifying XAI: Enhancing AI Explainability for Non-technical Users through LLM-Powered Narrative Gamifications

Gamification shows promise for making AI explainability accessible to non-technical users: The study found that the LLM-powered narrative gamification framework "effectively enhances non-technical users' AI/XAI knowledge," suggesting that interactive, conversational approaches can help everyday people understand AI systems they encounter.

Users perceive learning benefits from gamification, but evidence is mixed: While participants "believe they learn more through the gamification feature," the researchers note it "remains inconclusive whether the gamification itself leads to further improvements in understanding," indicating a gap between perceived and measurable learning gains.

Gamification's engagement value is polarized among users: The study reveals divided opinions on whether gamification enhances exploration—"some believe it enhances their exploration of the visualizations, while others feel it disrupts their workflow"—suggesting one-size-fits-all gamification approaches may not work for all users.

Current XAI tools exclude non-technical users: The paper identifies a critical gap: existing AI explainability visualizations are "primarily designed for users with technical expertise," leaving everyday users with "limited resources to explore or understand AI technologies they use" despite regular interaction with these systems.

Conversational AI interfaces may bridge the XAI accessibility gap: The framework's use of direct conversation with visualization elements via LLM represents a potentially more intuitive alternative to traditional technical interfaces for helping non-experts engage with AI explanations.