Are Consumers Willing to Disclose Information to AI ‐Based Chatbot? The Roles of Anthropomorphism and Regulatory Focus

ABSTRACT Though anthropomorphism has become a prevalent design strategy in artificial intelligence, scant empirical evidence has examined whether anthropomorphizing recommendation chatbots affects consumers' willingness to disclose personal information. This study therefore explores how chatbot anthropomorphism influences consumers' information‐disclosure intention and the psychological mechanisms underlying this relationship. Findings from three experimental studies indicate that heightened chatbot anthropomorphism enhances consumers' information‐disclosure intention (Studies 1, 2a, and 2b). This effect is mediated by perceived benefits (Study 1). Importantly, regulatory focus moderates the effect of chatbot anthropomorphism on information‐disclosure intention (Studies 2a and 2b): promotion‐focused consumers are more willing to disclose personal information when the chatbot anthropomorphism is high (vs. low), whereas prevention‐focused consumers remain unaffected by varying levels of anthropomorphism. These findings shed light on how to design effective chatbot interfaces and how to target the right consumers.