The role of cuteness on consumer attachment to artificial intelligence agents

Purpose This paper identifies the effects of different dimensions of the cuteness (i.e. baby schema cuteness and whimsical cuteness) of artificial intelligence (AI) agents on attachment to them. In addition, the current paper examines the consequences of the attachment to AI agents. Design/methodology/approach A pretest to validate the measurement scale for the attachment to AI agents and a survey study were conducted with AI agent users. The authors used structural equation modeling to analyze the data for hypothesis testing. Findings The baby schema and whimsical cuteness of AI agents drive consumers to develop stronger attachments to their AI agents. This is because consumers perceive cute AI agents as being more trustworthy. As a result, consumers who feel attached to their AI agents are more inclined to report higher satisfaction and commitment levels. They are also more likely to purchase products or services recommended by their AI agents and use them more frequently. Originality/value Despite the growing popularity of AI agents, there is a lack of understanding regarding which characteristics of AI agents affect consumer behavior. Therefore, this research examines how the attribute of cuteness influences consumers' attachment to AI agents and subsequently affects their satisfaction and purchase intention toward products recommended by AI agents. Our study demonstrates that the element of cuteness in AI agents plays a crucial role in shaping perceptions of benevolence trustworthiness, as well as fostering users' attachment to AI agents. Furthermore, we observe positive consumer behaviors as a result of their attachment to AI agents. The findings from this study provide valuable insights for practitioners on how to effectively utilize cuteness in AI agents.