When Service Quality is Enhanced by Human–Artificial Intelligence Interaction: An Examination of Anthropomorphism, Responsiveness from the Perspectives of Employees and Customers

AbstractThis article reports on two distinct studies conducted in the context of employees and customers, respectively. The aim of Study 1 is to investigate the influence of anthropomorphism and responsiveness of food delivery people using artificial intelligence (AI) devices on their psychological safety and AI empathy. This study also evaluated the mediating impact of psychological safety and AI empathy with relation to anthropomorphism and responsiveness on AI service quality. In addition, Study 2 examines the impact of perceptions of AI service quality on customer engagement and customer satisfaction. Furthermore, in Study 2, we tested the moderating influence of AI usability on the relationship between AI service quality and customer engagement and on the relationship between AI service quality and customer satisfaction. In Study 1, we collected data from 312 food delivery boys/girls who used AI-based applications to offer e-food restaurant services. This study used a cross-sectional research design. We expand the scope of Study 1 by collecting data from 363 customers of the companies surveyed in Study 1 from eastern and southern parts of China. Study 2 used a time-delayed approach and collected data in two waves three months apart. The overall results of Study 1 and Study 2 support the proposed hypotheses. The results showed the direct and indirect relationship between independent variables (anthropomorphism and responsiveness) and service quality, customer engagement and customer satisfaction. Furthermore, the results indicated a significant role of mediators (psychological safety and AI empathy) in Study 1 and moderators (AI usability) in Study 2. This article provided valuable insights for practitioners and researchers concerned with the use and application of AI in deal with the service sector.Keywords: Anthropomorphismresponsivenesspsychological safetyAI empathyAI service qualityAI usabilityAI satisfactionAI engagement Disclosure statementAll authors of this study declare that they have no conflict of interest. None of the authors is financially or non-financially involved with the organizations being studied in this article.Data availability statementData for this study can be attained on the request from the corresponding author.Additional informationFundingThis work was supported by the National Social Science Fund of China (23BGL307).Notes on contributorsZhang HuiZhang Hui is working as a professor at School of Economics and Management Hubei Engineering University. He has published papers in journals such as International Journal of Bank Marketing, Frontiers in Psychology, and Engineering Construction & Architectural Management. His current focus of research is on AI, Consumer Marketing, and Leadership.Ali Nawaz KhanAli Nawaz Khan has his PhD in Management from SEM at the University of Science and Technology of China and post-doctorate from SEM Tongji University. Dr. Khan is currently working as a Professor at SEM Hubei Engineering University. He has published more than 60 papers in top-tier journals.Zhang ChenglongZhang Chenglong is an associate professor at Hubei Engineering University in China, an academic visitor of Wolverhampton University in UK for the period of 7th November 2018 until 6th November 2019, and in the year of 2013, he received the PhD degree from Wuhan University in China.Naseer Abbas KhanNaseer Abbas Khan has his PhD in Public Administration from SEM at the University of Science and Technology of China and currently working as Assistant Professor at Malik Firoz Khan Noon Business School, University of Sargodha, Pakistan.