TY - JOUR
T1 - The AI-extended consumer
T2 - Technology, consumer, country differences in the formation of demand for AI-empowered consumer products
AU - Frank, Björn
AU - Herbas-Torrico, Boris
AU - Schvaneveldt, Shane J.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors extend their gratitude to all survey respondents, to Da Xu for his contribution to the data collection, and to Associate Editor Stefano Bresciani and three anonymous reviewers for their constructive and helpful comments about our article. Björn Frank gratefully acknowledges financial support from JSPS KAKENHI (grants no. 16K13396, 19K21707, Japanese government funding) and from Waseda University (grant no. 2019C-152).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors
PY - 2021/11
Y1 - 2021/11
N2 - Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are set to revolutionize established industries. Drawing on delegation theory, this article extends the marketing literature by explaining technology, consumer, and country differences in the formation of demand for AI-empowered consumer products (AI products). Based on hierarchical linear modeling of 2,775 consumer evaluations of automobile add-on autonomous driving systems across five countries, this study finds that the utilitarian (related to efficient goal achievement), hedonic (related to emotions), and symbolic (related to the consumer's self-concept) dimensions of perceived value all contribute substantially to AI product demand. Regarding technology differences, the degree of AI product autonomy enhances the effects of both hedonic and symbolic value and weakens the effect of utilitarian value on AI product demand. Regarding country differences, cultural performance orientation enhances the effect of utilitarian value on AI product demand. Regarding consumer differences, a consumer's independent self-construal weakens the effects of hedonic and symbolic value. Moreover, a consumer's inherent activeness weakens the effect of utilitarian value and strengthens the effect of symbolic value on AI product demand. Based on these results, the article discusses implications for marketing scholars and practitioners and for public policy-makers.
AB - Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are set to revolutionize established industries. Drawing on delegation theory, this article extends the marketing literature by explaining technology, consumer, and country differences in the formation of demand for AI-empowered consumer products (AI products). Based on hierarchical linear modeling of 2,775 consumer evaluations of automobile add-on autonomous driving systems across five countries, this study finds that the utilitarian (related to efficient goal achievement), hedonic (related to emotions), and symbolic (related to the consumer's self-concept) dimensions of perceived value all contribute substantially to AI product demand. Regarding technology differences, the degree of AI product autonomy enhances the effects of both hedonic and symbolic value and weakens the effect of utilitarian value on AI product demand. Regarding country differences, cultural performance orientation enhances the effect of utilitarian value on AI product demand. Regarding consumer differences, a consumer's independent self-construal weakens the effects of hedonic and symbolic value. Moreover, a consumer's inherent activeness weakens the effect of utilitarian value and strengthens the effect of symbolic value on AI product demand. Based on these results, the article discusses implications for marketing scholars and practitioners and for public policy-makers.
KW - Artificial intelligence
KW - Autonomy
KW - Culture
KW - Personality
KW - Self-concept
KW - Technology
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U2 - 10.1016/j.techfore.2021.121018
DO - 10.1016/j.techfore.2021.121018
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85111216518
SN - 0040-1625
VL - 172
JO - Technological Forecasting and Social Change
JF - Technological Forecasting and Social Change
M1 - 121018
ER -