AI Communication Tone and Consumer Judgment: The Role of Servant Perception in Behavioral Intentions

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Social Psychology
• Artificial Intelligence Ethics

Background:

• Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into service interactions, necessitating rapid social judgments from users.
• Understanding how AI communication influences user perceptions and behavioral intentions is crucial for effective human-AI collaboration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how AI communication tone (formal vs. casual) affects behavioral intentions through social cognitive processes.
• To examine the moderating role of perceived AI subservience and the influence of interaction structure and economic framing on these effects.

Main Methods:

• Two scenario-based experiments were conducted to test the hypotheses.
• Participants' responses were measured based on attitudes toward the AI and its communication tone, role construal, and agency attribution.

Main Results:

• Formal AI tone is more effective when AI is perceived as subordinate; casual tone is less effective in hierarchical contexts.
• Perceptions of AI as a servant are shaped by economic framing (paid vs. free access) and interaction structure (one-way vs. two-way communication).

Conclusions:

• Servant perception is a key social cognitive mechanism mediating the effects of AI communication tone on user behavior.
• Findings offer implications for designing AI communication strategies that align with user role expectations and cultural contexts.