The impact of AI chatbots on customer trust: an empirical investigation in the hotel industry

Purpose This study aims to investigate the impact of AI chatbots on customer trust in AI chatbots for hotel services. Design/methodology/approach The probability sampling method was employed to develop a research sample. The research uses correlation analysis and structural equation modeling to analyze the data of 413 valid observations collected in the structured questionnaire survey in Vietnam. Findings The paper reports that empathy response, anonymity and customization significantly impact interaction. Empathy response is found to be the strongest influence on interaction. Meanwhile, empathy response and anonymity were revealed to indirectly affect customer trust. This paper also contributes several implications for hotel providers in emerging economies. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to shed light on the role of AI chatbots in explaining customers’ behavior. The results provide an enhanced understanding of how the AI chatbot system influences customers’ decision-making. It has been used to plan the chatbot application and highlight which implementation issues need the most attention in the hospitality industry.