Avoiding excessive AI service agent anthropomorphism : Examining its role in delivering bad news

Journal article


Mulcahy, Rory Francis, Riedel, Aimee, Keating, Byron, Beatson, Amanda and Letheren, Kate. (2024). Avoiding excessive AI service agent anthropomorphism : Examining its role in delivering bad news. Journal of Service Theory and Practice. 34(1), pp. 98-126. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-04-2023-0118
AuthorsMulcahy, Rory Francis, Riedel, Aimee, Keating, Byron, Beatson, Amanda and Letheren, Kate
Abstract

Purpose
The aim of this paper is twofold. First, it seeks to understand how different forms of anthropomorphism, namely verbal and visual, can enhance or detract from the subjective well-being of consumers and their co-creation behaviors whilst collaborating with artificial intelligence (AI) service agents. Second, it seeks to understand if AI anxiety and trust in message, function as primary and secondary consumer appraisals of collaborating with AI service agents.

Design/methodology/approach
A conceptual model is developed using the theories of the uncanny valley and cognitive appraisal theory (CAT) with three hypotheses identified to guide the experimental work. The hypotheses are tested across three experimental studies which manipulate the level of anthropomorphism of AI.

Findings
Results demonstrate that verbal and visual anthropomorphism can assist consumer well-being and likelihood of co-creation. Further, this relationship is explained by the mediators of anxiety and trust.

Originality/value
The empirical results and theorizing suggest verbal anthropomorphism should be present (absent) and paired with low (high) visual anthropomorphism, which supports the “uncanny valley” effect. A moderated mediation relationship is established, which confirms AI anxiety and trust in a message as mediators of the AI service agent anthropomorphism-consumer subjective well-being/co-creation relationship. This supports the theorizing of the conceptual model based on the “uncanny valley” and CAT.

Keywordswell-being; cognitive appraisal theory ; uncanny valley ; Anthropomorphism
Year01 Jan 2024
JournalJournal of Service Theory and Practice
Journal citation34 (1), pp. 98-126
PublisherEmerald Group Publishing Limited
ISSN2055-6225
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-04-2023-0118
Web address (URL)https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JSTP-04-2023-0118/full/html
Open accessPublished as non-open access
Research or scholarlyResearch
Page range98-126
Author's accepted manuscript
License
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Open
Publisher's version
License
All rights reserved
File Access Level
Controlled
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online29 Nov 2023
Publication process dates
Accepted28 Oct 2023
Deposited24 Sep 2024
Additional information

© Emerald Publishing Limited

For author manuscript:
© Emerald Publishing Limited
License: Creative Commons: Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0

Place of publicationUnited Kingdom
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