Inducing AI-powered chatbot use for customer purchase: the role of information value and innovative technology

Purpose: This study aims to understand a customer-purchase mechanism in the artificial intelligence (AI)-powered chatbot context based on the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) and technology acceptance model (TAM). The first objective is to examine how to boost chatbot adoption. The second objective is to investigate the role of information characteristics, technology-related characteristics and attitude toward AI in purchase intention. Design/methodology/approach: Data was collected from a sample of 492 users in Vietnam, who are potential customers of chatbots for purchase. Structural equation modeling was applied for data analysis. Findings: Results illustrate that chatbot adoption is significantly influenced by information credibility, technology-related factors (i.e. interactivity, relative advantage and perceived intelligence), attitude toward AI and perceived usefulness. Moreover, information quality and persuasiveness motivate information credibility. Information credibility and attitude toward AI are the essential motivations for perceived usefulness. Finally, chatbot adoption and information credibility determine purchase intention. Practical implications: The results are insightful for practitioners to envisage the importance of chatbot use for customer purchase in the AI scenario. Additionally, this research offers a framework to practitioners for shaping customer engagement in chatbots. Originality/value: The value of this work lies in the incorporation of technology-related characteristics into the two well-established theories, the ELM and TAM, to identify the importance of AI and its applications (i.e. chatbots) for purchase and to understand the formation of perceived usefulness and chatbot use through information credibility and attitude toward AI. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.