Cracking the consumers’ code: A framework for understanding the artificial intelligence–consumer interface

Abstract

This review presents a framework for understanding how consumers respond to artificial intelligence (AI) and related technologies, such as robots, algorithms, or chatbots. Drawing on a systematic review of the literature (N = 111), we describe how AI technologies influence a variety of consumer-relevant outcomes, including consumer satisfaction and the propensity to rely on AI. We also highlight the important role that consumer characteristics along with contextual characteristics (i.e., the micro and macro context) play in shaping the AI-consumer interaction. We then discuss novel theoretical perspectives that could shed light on the psychological processes triggered by AI-consumer interactions. We conclude by adopting a meta-scientific perspective and discussing how AI may change the process of scientific discovery.