Do we know and do we care? Algorithms and Attitude towards Conversational User Interfaces: Comparing Chatbots and Voice Assistants

Abstract

As conversational user interfaces (CUIs) are increasingly integrated into daily life, ethical and societal concerns about integrated content filtering algorithms emerge. In addressing these concerns, it is essential to know how aware and knowledgeable society is of the algorithms it encounters using CUIs and the extent to which this impacts the attitude towards these technologies. In this survey study, we made a first attempt to measure and compare participants’ algorithm awareness of chatbots and voice assistants. Further, we assessed the effect of algorithm literacy on the attitude towards CUIs and possible interaction effects with technology acceptance. Lastly, we compared previous and future usage purposes for chatbots and voice assistants. We found higher algorithm awareness for voice assistants than for chatbots. No correlation between algorithm literacy and attitude towards either chatbots or voice assistants was found. An additional personal-level factor, technology acceptance, did not affect this relationship. The results show that participants preferred using voice assistants for task completion and social purposes over chatbots, while getting information was equally preferred between chatbots and voice assistants. Considering its societal relevance, we want to encourage more research on algorithmic awareness and understanding in the field of CUI and its cognitive and behavioral effects.