Studies have sought to understand how the dissemination of AI innovation has been perceived and evaluated. Although, for the marketing of products and services, the association with technology is less advantageous than expected. Consumer purchase intentions may decrease when the term “artificial intelligence” appears in the description of items sold..
This is what a study reveals publicado no Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management. The reason behind this fact lies in the lack of trust and uncertainty that technology still conveys to the general population.. Purchase intention tends to reduce especially among expensive electronics, medical devices and financial services.
The research was conducted by Mesut Cicek, WSU marketing professor (Washington State University), involving experiments with a thousand people from the United States. In this process, consumer reaction was assessed when presented with products with and without mention of AI, where many showed distrust regarding the sale.
Testing in eight categories
To reach a result, researchers tested eight categories of products and services that used the term “artificial intelligence”. In all cases, AI products were less popular than others. One of the examples brought by the study were smart televisions.
When the mention of IA was made, purchase intention decreased among participants. Just like televisions, home appliances, medical devices and financial services are categorized as “high risk” items. I.e, in case of failure, pose a risk to consumer safety or a major financial loss.
Cicek reaffirms that disclosing AI can be a disadvantage. “When AI is mentioned, it tends to reduce emotional confidence, what, in turn, decreases purchase intentions”, explained the teacher.
Strategies must be rethought
The study also included the collaboration of Dogan Gursoy, professor of hospitality at WSU, eLuLu, professor at Temple University. Although adoption of AI solutions has increased considerably in recent years, the study reaffirms the challenges posed by innovation.
Marketing strategies must be well crafted so that products and services are presented to consumers effectively. For that, It is important to focus on the benefits and features offered by IA rather than just citing it as a major differentiator.
“Marketers should think carefully before highlighting AI in product descriptions or developing strategies to increase emotional trust”, afirma Cicek.
