The dual effect of anthropomorphism on customers’ decisions to use artificial intelligence devices in hotel services

ABSTRACT This study investigated the impact of anthropomorphism on customers’ decisions to use artificial intelligence (AI) devices in hotels, along with other traditional predictors. The study’s model considered the co-occurrence of positive and negative effects of anthropomorphism, including social presence and identity threats, which compete to control evaluative attitudes toward AI devices. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the model using data from 363 participants. The results showed that anthropomorphism positively enhances social presence, leading to higher performance expectancy and positive emotions toward AI devices. Anthropomorphism also entails identity threats, resulting in increased effort expectancy and negative emotions. These trade-offs highlight the need for hotels to consider how customers perceive and respond to anthropomorphized AI devices during service delivery and to choose the level of anthropomorphism accordingly. This study highlights the benefits and cost trade-offs inherent in anthropomorphism and explains how they affect the evaluative attitudinal responses toward AI devices.