PurposeThe objective of this study is to provide a systematic review of the literature on artificial intelligence (AI) in customer-facing financial services, providing an overview of explored contexts and research foci, identifying gaps in the literature and setting a comprehensive agenda for future research.Design/methodology/approachCombining database (i.e. Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCO, ScienceDirect) and manual journal search, the authors identify 90 articles published in Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC) journals for investigation, using the TCCM (Theory, Context, Characteristics and Methodology) framework.FindingsThe results indicate a split between data-driven and theory-driven research, with most studies either adopting an experimental research design focused on testing the accuracy and performance of AI algorithms to assist with credit scoring or investigating AI consumer adoption behaviors in a banking context. The authors call for more research building overarching theories or extending existing theoretical perspectives, such as actor networks. More empirical research is required, especially focusing on consumers' financial behaviors as well as the role of regulation, ethics and policy concerned with AI in financial service contexts, such as insurance or pensions.Research limitations/implicationsThe review focuses on AI in customer-facing financial services. Future work may want to investigate back-office and operations contexts.Originality/valueThe authors are the first to systematically synthesize the literature on the use of AI in customer-facing financial services, offering a valuable agenda for future research.

Although planning for retirement is fundamental for consumers’ future well‐being, individuals often fail to engage with it. Retirement engagement refers to one's initial interest in and active planning for one's retirement. In this study, we focus on mobile technology‐enabled retirement engagement, operationalized as consumers’ perception of how a retirement app can help them plan for retirement. While rapid advances in digital platforms and mobile technology show promising use to the financial services sector, little is known about the adoption drivers of mobile technology in stimulating retirement engagement as a unique low‐involvement, yet high‐importance context. We address this gap in the existing literature by analyzing survey data from a representative sample of 440 Australian pension fund members. We find that consumers’ financial self‐efficacy, perceived financial security, consideration of future consequences, retirement planning involvement, and perceived usefulness have direct effects on their anticipated engagement with a mobile retirement app as well as indirect effects through their intention to adopt the app (financial self‐efficacy and consideration of future consequences only have direct effects). We also find that mobile computing self‐efficacy, prior finance app use, and perceived ease of use only have indirect effects through consumers’ intention to adopt the app. Notably, the association between adoption intentions and anticipated engagement is stronger for those closer to retirement.

Purpose While businesses seek to engage customers, their efforts are often met with varied results, as some customers are more predisposed to engage than others. Understanding customers’ dispositions to engage is central to understanding customer engagement, yet research examining customer engagement dispositions remains sparse and predominantly focused on personality traits. This paper aims to consider the general nature of a disposition and draws on qualitative findings to depict a framework for customer engagement dispositions. Design/methodology/approach To investigate customer engagement dispositions comprehensively and in-depth, an exploratory qualitative approach was adopted. In total, 20 semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with customers in ongoing relationships with financial planners residing in Australia. Findings Nine attributes reflecting customer engagement dispositions emerge from the data. These include the customer’s internal tendency to engage (confidence, desire for control, extroversion and enthusiasm); a tendency to engage determined in the interaction with the service provider (sense of similarity, sense of social connection and trust in the service provider); and the capacity to engage (expertise and knowledge and time availability). Research limitations/implications This study provides a conceptual foundation for future empirical measurement of customer engagement dispositions and their nomological network. Practical implications This study establishes a foundation for managers to build distinct engagement disposition profiles and segments and target initiatives to maximize engagement activity. Originality/value This research challenges the view of customer engagement dispositions as largely personality factors, or exclusively cognitive and emotional dimensions of engagement, and offers a comprehensive framework reflecting a customer’s disposition to engage with a service provider.

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Successful retirement planning critically depends on access to accurate and up-to-date information. In this paper, we focus on the Australian Superannuation industry to examine the influence of digital technology in facilitating communication and information flow among its various actors. Using a qualitative research methodology, we conducted 22 semi-structured interviews with various industry actors including Superfunds, fund members, consultants, IT and digital solutions providers, and representatives from industry regulators. Our findings highlight the need for these actors to enhance their resource and knowledge-sharing capabilities, consumer need recognition, and information flow to ultimately enable Superfund members to improve their retirement planning and financial well-being. JEL Classification: D14 Household Saving • Personal Finance, D15 Intertemporal Household Choice • Life Cycle Models and Saving, J26 Retirement • Retirement Policies and J32 Nonwage Labor Costs and Benefits • Retirement Plans • Private Pensions