Consumer Response to Anthropomorphism of Text-Based AI Chatbots: A Systematic Literature Review and Future Research Directions

Abstract

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has not only integrated chatbots like ChatGPT into everyday life but also transformed customer relations in various industries. Despite their growing adoption, research on consumer responses and preferences toward AI chatbots remains limited. Anthropomorphism, the attribution of human characteristics to nonhuman entities, plays a crucial role in shaping these interactions. This systematic literature review (SLR) analyzes 84 research articles within the theories-context-characteristics-methods (TCCM) framework to provide a comprehensive overview of consumer responses to chatbot anthropomorphism. The findings reveal predominantly positive effects, with humanlike communication styles and emotional characteristics eliciting trust, empathy, and a sense of social presence. However, negative outcomes in the form of privacy concerns and AI anxiety from overly humanlike chatbots highlight the complex nature of humanized chatbots. New generative AI models amplify these risks, widening gaps in current research. Future research should address these gaps by exploring the opportunities and challenges of generative AI, emotional adaptability, personalized communication strategies, and the role of consumer technology affinity. By focusing exclusively on text-based chatbots, this review offers a unique perspective that augments existing literature on consumer responses to AI chatbots, contributing to a better overall understanding of the underlying effects of anthropomorphism within the context of human–computer interactions.