Mindsets and mirrors: How growth mindsets shape anthropomorphism in AI-enabled technologies

Abstract

Across multiple studies, we found that people with a growth mindset (whose abilities are believed to be developable) are more likely to see artificial intelligence (AI) devices as human-like. This effect holds for intelligent personal assistants, where growth-mindset users attributed more human qualities to these AI helpers. Furthermore, people with a growth mindset were more open to new experiences and felt less threatened by AI, which in turn made them see AI as more human-like. Interestingly, the more human-like the AI features became, the less a growth mindset influenced how human-like people perceived the AI. Our findings highlight the importance of designing AI that can be personalized and adapt to user needs. They also suggest a connection between how human-like AI appears and how threatening people perceive it. This knowledge can be used to create AI technology that is user-centered and fosters positive interactions.