Does chatbot interaction drive satisfaction and loyalty? Exploring technology anxiety, need for human interaction and creepiness

Purpose The increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in airline customer service requires a deeper understanding of passenger interactions with chatbots. Although these AI-powered systems enhance efficiency and convenience, some customers may feel uneasy or hesitant when engaging with them. Therefore, this study investigates the influence of technology anxiety and the need for human interaction on passengers' perceptions of chatbot creepiness and how these perceptions shape customer satisfaction and loyalty. Design/methodology/approach The present study respondents were passengers who had previously interacted with an airline chatbot and were selected through purposive sampling. Partial least squares (PLS) path modeling was used to measure the hypothesized relationships. Findings The findings indicate that both technology anxiety and the need for human interaction significantly and positively influence perceived creepiness. Surprisingly, perceived creepiness in chatbot interactions has a significantly positive effect on customer satisfaction. Satisfaction also mediates the relationship between perceived creepiness and customer loyalty. Originality/value This research offers novel perspectives by investigating the negative effects of perceived creepiness, desire for human interaction and anxiety towards technology on customer loyalty in airline chatbot encounters. This study provides practical recommendations for improving the adoption of AI in customer service settings.