How Do Consumers Trust and Accept AI Agents? An Extended Theoretical Framework and Empirical Evidence

Abstract

With the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence (AI), AI agents are evolving into “intelligent partners” integrated into various consumer scenarios, posing new challenges to conventional consumer decision-making processes and perceptions. However, the mechanisms through which consumers develop trust and adopt AI agents in common scenarios remain unclear. Therefore, this article develops a framework based on the heuristic–systematic model to explain the behavioral decision-making mechanisms of future consumers. This model is validated through PLS-SEM with data from 632 participants in China. The results show that trust can link individuals’ dual decision paths to further drive user behavior. Additionally, we identify the key drivers of consumer behavior from two dimensions. These findings provide practical guidance for businesses and policymakers to optimize the design and development of AI agents and promote the widespread acceptance and adoption of AI technologies.