The hidden cost of AI robots for sustainable food consumption: a self-awareness theory perspective

Purpose This study aims to draw on self-awareness theory to examine whether and how service agent type (AI robot vs human) influences consumers’ sustainable food consumption via public self-awareness, and whether this effect is contingent on the agent’s interaction style (proactive vs reactive). Design/methodology/approach Across three experiments, the study tested the impact of service agent type on consumers’ sustainable food consumption, the mediating role of public self-awareness and the moderating role of interaction style. Two supplementary studies further examined the robustness of the findings by manipulating robots’ levels of intelligence. Data were collected from 1,019 participants from the USA and the UK and analyzed using analysis of variance and mediation–moderation analyses. Findings Results indicate that AI-robot services reduce consumers’ public self-awareness, which subsequently diminishes their sustainable food consumption. Importantly, a proactive interaction style attenuates this negative effect. Furthermore, the robot’s intelligence level does not significantly alter the observed relationships. Research limitations/implications The study advances self-awareness theory by clarifying how public self-awareness functions as a normative mechanism in AI-mediated service encounters. For practitioners, the findings emphasize the strategic importance of designing robot interactions that preserve consumers’ social observability to integrate technological efficiency with social mechanisms reinforcing sustainability norms. Originality/value This research enriches self-awareness theory and provides actionable guidance for hospitality managers seeking to balance service automation with sustainability goals.