How Does Interacting with AI Versus Human Agents Influence Consumer Identity-Based Choices? The Roles of Distinctiveness and Assimilation Motives

Although artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated in sales frontiers, its role as a social actor remains underexplored. Adopting a social interaction perspective, we examine how interacting with AI (vs. human) agents influences consumers’ identity motives and product preferences. Seven preregistered studies (N = 2,900) reveal that AI (vs. human) agents activate need for differentiation (vs. assimilation), increasing preferences for distinctive (vs. mainstream) products. These effects diminish when identity motives are made salient or when products are intended for private (vs. public) use. These findings advance understanding of AI-human differences and guide firms’ agent deployment and recommendation strategies.