There is a growing need to understand how consumers will interact with artificially intelligent (AI) domestic service robots, which are currently entering consumer homes at increasing rates, yet without a theoretical understanding of the consumer preferences influencing interaction roles such robots may play within the home. Guided by anthropomorphism theory, this study explores how different levels of robot humanness and social interaction opportunities affect consumers' liking for service robots. A review of the extant literature is conducted, yielding three hypotheses that are tested via 953 responses to an online scenario‐based experiment. Findings indicate that while consumers prefer higher levels of humanness and moderate‐to‐high levels of social interaction opportunity, only some participants liked robots more when dialogue (high‐interaction opportunity) was offered. Resulting from this study is the proposed Humanized‐AI Social Interactivity Framework. The framework extends previous studies in marketing and consumer behavior literature by offering an increased understanding of how households will choose to interact with service robots in domestic environments based on humanness and social interaction. Guidelines for practitioners and two overarching themes for future research emerge from this study. This paper contributes to an increased understanding of potential interactions with service robots in domestic environments.

No abstract

PurposePractitioners need to understand how households will engage with connected-home technologies or risk the failure of these innovations. Current theory does not offer sufficient explanation for how households will engage; hence, this paper aims to address an important gap by examining how households set “rules of engagement” for connected-home technologies in the context of electricity use and monitoring.Design/methodology/approachA review of the extant psychology, technology and engagement literature is conducted and yields two research questions for exploration. The research questions are addressed via 43 in-depth household interviews. Analysis includes thematic analysis and computerized text analysis.FindingsThe results include a typology of technology engagement (the “PIP typology”) and discuss three main roles for technology in assisting households: intern, assistant and manager. Key contributions are as follows: consumers in household settings may experience “compromised engagement” where the perceived middle option is selected even if no-one selected that option originally; households open to using connected-home technologies are often taking advantage of their ability to “delegate” engagement to technology, and because consumers humanize technology, they also expect technology to follow social roles and boundaries.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research may examine the PIP typology quantitatively and/or in different contexts and would benefit from a longitudinal study to examine how household technology engagement evolves. Four research propositions are provided, which may form the basis for future research.Practical implicationsRecommendations for practitioners are presented regarding the benefits of keeping consumers at the heart of connected-home technology goods and services. Specific design principles are provided.Originality/valueThis paper fulfills the need to understand how households will engage with connected-home technologies and the roles this technology may fulfill in the complex household service system.

No abstract

Deepfakes, digital content created via machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence technology, are generating interest among marketers and the general population alike and are often portrayed as a “phantom menace” in the media. Despite relevance to marketing theory and practice, deepfakes—and the opportunities for benefit or deviance they provide—are little understood or discussed. This article introduces deepfakes to the marketing literature and proposes a typology, conceptual framework, and associated research agenda, underpinned by theorizing based on balanced centricity, to guide the future investigation of deepfakes in marketing scholarship. The article makes an argument for balance (i.e., situations where all stakeholders benefit), and it is hoped that this article may provide a foundation for future research and application of deepfakes as “a new hope” for marketing.