Intention to use analytical artificial intelligence (AI) in services – the effect of technology readiness and awareness
ISSN: 1757-5818
Article publication date: 21 September 2021
Issue publication date: 28 February 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The automation of services is rapidly growing, led by sectors such as banking and financial investment. The growing number of investments managed by artificial intelligence (AI) suggests that this technology-based service will become increasingly popular. This study examines how customers' technology readiness and service awareness affect their intention to use analytical AI investment services.
Design/methodology/approach
Hypotheses were tested with a data set of 404 North American-based potential customers of robo-advisors. In addition to technology readiness dimensions, the potential customers' characteristics were included in the framework as moderating factors (age, gender and previous experience with financial investment services). A post-hoc analysis examined the roles of service awareness and the financial advisor's name (i.e., robo-advisor vs. AI-advisor).
Findings
The results indicated that customers' technological optimism increases, and insecurity decreases, their intention to use robo-advisors. Surprisingly, feelings of technological discomfort positively influenced robo-advisor adoption. This interesting finding challenges previous insights into technology adoption and value co-creation as analytical AI puts customers into a very passive role and reduces barriers to technology adoption. The research also analyzes how consumers become aware of robo-advisors, and how this influences their acceptance.
Originality/value
This is the first study to analyze the role of customers' technology readiness in the adoption of analytical AI. The authors link the findings to previous technology adoption and automated services' literature and provide specific managerial implications and avenues for further research.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank Prof. Russell Belk (York University) for his valuable suggestions about this research project.
Funding: The authors are grateful for the financial support received from Gobierno de Aragón (Research Group “METODO” S20_20R) and Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (PID2019‐105468RB‐I00).
Citation
Flavián, C., Pérez-Rueda, A., Belanche, D. and Casaló, L.V. (2022), "Intention to use analytical artificial intelligence (AI) in services – the effect of technology readiness and awareness", Journal of Service Management, Vol. 33 No. 2, pp. 293-320. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-10-2020-0378
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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