The Role of Attachment in Improving Consumer-AI Interactions

Abstract A successful implementation of artificial intelligence and robots in the service industry requires the acceptance and trust of consumers. In order to be able to provide similar services as human employees, AI devices and robots have to have the ability to interact and relate to the human consumer and, at the same time, to provide the expected information. Researches in the field of consumer services have shown that empathy and emotions can improve the relation between service employees and consumers, by providing more enjoyable interactions and a better exchange of information. In our research we investigate if the attachment between the consumer and AI devices can facilitate a higher quality of information exchange, a better and more pleasant interaction and if it determines a higher self-disclosing behavior from the consumer. Our results confirm that attachment has a positive impact on consumer-AI interactions, improving the perceived enjoyment of the conversation, a better quality of the exchanged information and determining a higher self-disclosing behavior. These results have important implications on the design of the future consumer-AI-interactions.