Beyond learning with cold machine: interpersonal communication skills as anthropomorphic cue of AI instructor

Prior research has explored the impact of diverse anthropomorphic interventions on the effectiveness of AI (artificial intelligence) instructors. However, the exploration of interpersonal communication skills (e.g., self-disclosure) as anthropomorphic conversational cues for AI instructors is rare. Considering the positive impact of the self-disclosure of human instructors and guided by the social penetration theory (Altman & Taylor, 1973) and computers are social actors (CASA) paradigm (Nass & Moon, 2000), this study explores the role of self-disclosure by AI instructors and the mediating role of emotional attachment between AI instructors’ self-disclosure and students’ learning experiences (learning interest and knowledge gain). Additionally, it examines the differences in students’ emotional attachment, learning interest, and knowledge gain between AI and human instructors. Through a 2 (AI instructor vs. human instructor) × 2 (self-disclosure: yes or no) experiment, this study concluded that 1) consistent with human instructors, self-disclosure by AI instructors led to higher emotional attachment, learning interest, and knowledge gain; 2) emotional attachment played an important mediating role in AI instructor self-disclosure and students’ learning interest and knowledge gain; and 3) in the context of self-disclosure, students exhibited similar levels of emotional attachment to both AI and human instructors, with no significant differences observed. Regarding learning outcomes, while students demonstrated a greater interest in learning during courses taught by AI instructors, the difference in knowledge gained from AI and human instructors was not significant. The results of this study contribute to the understanding of the anthropomorphic cues of AI instructors and provide recommendations and insights for the future use of AI instructors in educational settings.