Eye Contact Matters for Consumer Trust – Even with Robots

Abstract The integration of AI into consumer services is transforming the way people make decisions. AI is becoming more human-like, with chatbots, voice assistants and robots adopting human features and behavior. Consumers react differently to assistants with a human-like appearance than to advice from a web page, and the behavior of AI advisors influences consumer trust and decision-making. The results of an experiment comparing human advisors, robotic advisors with and without eye contact, and text-based services show that human advisors are trusted the most, but robotic advisors are preferred over text-based services. Human-like advisors increase trust and satisfaction. Extended human features like eye contact are essential for establishing trust and positive consumer responses. Companies should consider using humanoid advisors and incorporating eye contact to enhance customer experience. Consumers should be aware of the influence of human-like AI and stay informed about AI developments.