Impact of AI-generated virtual streamer interaction on consumer purchase intention: A focus on social presence and perceived value

Abstract

The immense growth of virtual streaming is reshaping shopping habits. However, limited research, if any, has focused on the differentiated effects of interaction types—namely product interactions versus social interactions—used by virtual streamers, and their distinct impacts on purchase intentions. This study, focusing on China's booming virtual streamer market, examines how artificial intelligence (AI)-generated virtual streamers' interaction types impact consumer purchase intention, considering the mediating roles of social presence and perceived value, and the moderating effect of product types. Utilizing a randomized scenario experiment among young consumers, the data was collected during a cross-sectional timeframe for two case scenarios, from which we analyzed 100 valid responses in Case 1 and 201 valid responses in Case 2. Results showed that product-focused interactions enhance purchase intention for utilitarian products via perceived value, while social interactions boost purchase intention for hedonic products through social presence. These findings suggest that AI-generated virtual streamers can strategically tailor interaction styles based on product categories to maximize livestream commerce effectiveness. This study enriches understanding of digital consumer behavior and provides actionable insights for retailers deploying AI-generated virtual streamers. It also highlights social presence and perceived value as key psychological mechanisms in shaping consumer responses to virtual streamer interactions.