Consumer Intention to Accept AI-Based Products and Services

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the consumers’ intention to accept artificial intelligence (AI) based products/services. Considering that AI-based products/services can be perceived as a radical technological revolution, we analyzed the effect of consumers’ overall self-efficacy of innovative technologies on their intention to accept AI-based products/services. In addition, the mediating effects of consumers’ positive perception of the intelligent information society and the usefulness of AI technology were verified. The results of an analysis of 6,073 adults revealed that consumers’ acceptance of innovative technologies was positively associated with consumers’ intention to accept AI-based products/services. In addition, consumers’ positive perception of the intelligent information society had a partial mediating effect between the technology self-efficacy and their intention to accept AI-based products/services; the perceived usefulness of AI technology also had a partial mediating effect between the two variables. Moreover, double mediation effects of positive perception of the intelligent information society and perceived usefulness of AI technology were significant in the relationship between technology self-efficacy and their intention to accept AI-based products/services. This means that the more positively the consumers think about the intelligent information society, the higher the perception of AI technology being useful, and ultimately the higher the intention to accept AI-based products/services. The findings of this study confirm that consumers’ overall technology self-efficacy not only forms a positive perception of the intelligent information society but also makes them more receptive to the application of new AI technology.