Marketing with anthropomorphised AI: insights from consumers
Vincent Charles, Nripendra P. Rana, Varsha K. Jain · Journal of Consumer Marketing · 2025
Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have transformed marketing by integrating anthropomorphic AI into consumer interactions, reshaping engagement, trust, and decision-making processes. This special issue explores the theoretical and practical implications of AI-driven anthropomorphism in digital marketing, customer service and brand management. The papers in this issue examine key themes, including AI-generated influencers and consumer engagement, AI chatbots and customer experience, AI transparency and consumer behaviour, and the ethical and cross-cultural risks of AI anthropomorphism. Specifically, the studies investigate how anthropomorphic AI influences trust, emotional attachment, parasocial relationships and purchasing behaviour, while also addressing concerns surrounding transparency, authenticity and consumer perception. This special issue advances scholarly discourse on AI’s role in consumer interactions and provides a future research agenda, highlighting the need for longitudinal studies, trust dynamics in AI interactions and regulatory frameworks for responsible AI deployment in marketing.The world of marketing is evolving at an unprecedented pace, and at the heart of this transformation lies artificial intelligence (AI). More than just a tool for efficiency, AI is increasingly designed to connect with consumers on a human level: expressing emotions, engaging in conversations and even mirroring human behaviour. As AI-powered chatbots, digital influencers and recommendation systems become more anthropomorphic, fundamental questions emerge: How do consumers perceive AI that resembles humans? Does this human-like quality enhance trust and engagement, or does it create unease? How does AI-driven anthropomorphism shape consumer behaviour, decision-making, and brand relationships?The AI industry is poised for remarkable growth, with an anticipated revenue of $1811.8 billion (Grand View Research, 2022) and a substantial contribution of $15.7 trillion to the global economy projected by 2030 (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2017). In response to this notable trend, marketing has been prompted to leverage AI technologies, particularly predictive intelligence (Karimova and Goby, 2021). As AI becomes increasingly integrated into diverse sectors, such as marketing, tourism, entertainment and retail, it has emerged as a transformative force, offering capabilities ranging from speech recognition to personalised recommendations, problem-solving and data processing (Davenport and Ronanki, 2018). One significant driver behind this widespread adoption is the relentless advancement of AI’s anthropomorphic qualities, that is, its ability to resemble and imitate human traits and behaviours (Alabed et al., 2022). In this dynamic landscape, problem-centric thinking becomes vital (Charles et al., 2022b) as organisations harness anthropomorphised AI to address various challenges and opportunities. Furthermore, AI’s effectiveness in consumer engagement extends beyond automation; it also involves data-driven storytelling (Charles et al., 2022a), where AI-generated narratives provide meaningful, contextualised and persuasive communication that shapes consumer decision-making. The ability to translate AI-driven analytics into compelling narratives enhances the perceived authenticity of AI-powered brand interactions, ultimately strengthening trust and emotional engagement with consumers. However, while anthropomorphism enhances AI’s ability to engage consumers, its effects on trust and acceptance are complex and not universally positive. This complexity stems from the way AI not only mimics human behaviour but also leverages data-driven storytelling to create the illusion of social presence, making its anthropomorphic design even more influential in shaping consumer perceptions.Anthropomorphism, in this context, refers to imbuing AI entities with human-like characteristics, appearance or behaviour. Studies show that AI agents are becoming increasingly human-like in their physical appearance and ability to mimic emotions and exhibit personality traits (Epley, 2018; Zhou et al., 2019). This phenomenon raises critical questions regarding its influence on consumer decision-making and behaviour. For example, prior research has explored various aspects, including consumer acceptance of anthropomorphic agents (Xiao and Kumar, 2021), user engagement levels with such agents (Hollebeek et al., 2021) and the impact of AI on brand-related responses such as customer loyalty (Lu et al., 2019). In addition, studies have explored the role of anthropomorphised AI in service quality (Yoganathan et al., 2021) and the overall service experience (McLeay et al., 2021). However, research suggests that consumer attitudes towards AI-powered service entities are not uniform but rather segmented into distinct attitudinal profiles. Yoganathan et al. (2024) provide empirical evidence that societal perceptions of service robots cluster into four profiles, namely, adore, abhor, ignore and unsure, indicating that while some consumers enthusiastically embrace anthropomorphised AI, others experience discomfort, scepticism or ambivalence. These divergent attitudes have significant implications for AI-driven marketing and service interactions, as brands must carefully tailor AI engagement strategies to address both enthusiastic adopters and AI-sceptical segments. Moreover, as AI agents become more advanced in their ability to simulate human-like interaction, businesses must consider how these attitudinal variations influence consumer trust, perceived authenticity and the overall brand experience.The existing body of literature on consumer decision-making and behaviour indicates that there is a growing interest in how AI influences the cognitive processes surrounding product or service purchases (Kietzmann et al., 2018; Kumar et al., 2019; Luo et al., 2019; Martínez-López and Casillas, 2009). Prior research (e.g. Zhang and Wang, 2023) has revealed that the anthropomorphic appearance of AI products is an important factor influencing consumer behaviour. However, much research remains to be done to gain comprehensive insights into anthropomorphised AI that goes beyond mere visual aesthetics and explores its impact on user trust, emotional attachment, decision-making processes and ethical considerations. As AI becomes more deeply embedded in consumer interactions, concerns around transparency, privacy and ethical responsibility have intensified. Charles et al. (2022c) highlight that while AI adoption has expanded beyond commercial use into public governance and decision-making, empirical research on AI ethics and trust-building mechanisms remains limited. They underscore the importance of ensuring AI transparency and responsible implementation, a challenge that extends to AI-driven marketing, where brands must carefully balance personalisation, authenticity and ethical constraints to avoid misleading consumers. These ethical complexities reinforce the need for further investigation into AI governance, disclosure norms and consumer perceptions of AI-driven interactions.This Special Issue on “Marketing with Anthropomorphised AI: Insights from Consumers” addresses this gap in academic understanding. As a result, it focuses on anthropomorphised AI’s theoretical development and empirical research in the business-to-consumer (B2C) context. Specifically, it unravels how AI-driven anthropomorphism influences consumer trust, engagement and behavioural responses across digital marketing, customer service and brand interactions. It explores the psychological mechanisms underpinning human−AI relationships, the role of transparency and authenticity in AI-generated content and the ethical and cultural considerations in deploying AI avatars, chatbots and virtual influencers. By bridging theoretical insights with practical applications, this issue provides a foundation for future research and industry best practices in AI-driven consumer engagement.As we navigate this rapidly evolving landscape, it is clear that anthropomorphised AI is not merely a technological trend − it is redefining how consumers interact with brands. However, with great potential comes great responsibility. Marketers and AI developers must balance personalisation, transparency and ethical integrity to ensure trustworthy, consumer-centric and responsible AI experiences.The papers in this special issue examine the role of AI-driven anthropomorphism in influencing consumer engagement, trust and behavioural responses across digital marketing, customer service and brand interactions. The issue encompasses two papers on AI-generated influencers and consumer engagement, three papers on AI chatbots and customer experience, two papers on AI transparency and consumer behaviour in marketing and one paper on the ethical and cross-cultural risks of AI anthropomorphism. Together, these studies offer valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges of AI-driven marketing strategies, addressing both practical applications and ethical considerations.In “Do I Look Real? Impact of Digital Human Avatar Influencer Realism on Consumer Engagement and Attachment”, Tejas R. Shah, Sonal Purohit, Manish Das and Thavaprakash Arulsivakumar explore how the realism of AI-powered Digital Human Avatar Influencers (DHAIs) influences consumer engagement, parasocial relationships and brand attachment. Based on the Computer as Social Actor (CASA) and Parasocial Interaction Theory, the study examines three dimensions of DHAI realism (form, behavioural and emotional realism) and their impact on consumer interaction. Using a cross-sectional survey with 426 respondents in India, participants visited DHAI Instagram pages, and responses were analysed using Smart PLS 4.0. The study finds that while form, behavioural and emotional realism enhance consumer engagement, only behavioural and emotional realism significantly strengthen parasocial relationships with DHAIs. Furthermore, content authenticity moderates the impact of engagement and parasocial relationships on DHAI sentimental attachment. The findings suggest that DHAIs with high emotional and behavioural realism foster stronger consumer connections and attachment, ultimately leading to attachment transfer, where consumer loyalty extends to brands endorsed by DHAIs. These insights offer practical guidance for brands on optimising DHAI design for engagement and relationship-building, while also raising ethical considerations around authenticity in influencer marketing.In “Virtual Personalities, Real Bonds: Anthropomorphised Virtual Influencers’ Impact on Trust and Engagement”, Pooja Goel and Aashish Garg examine how the anthropomorphic features and perceived authenticity of virtual influencers (VIs) shape consumer trust, engagement and electronic word-of-mouth (E-WOM). Grounded in realism theory and trust theory, the study investigates how physical, cognitive and emotional anthropomorphic cues influence cognitive and affective trust, which in turn drive customer engagement and E-WOM. Using a mall-intercept survey with 377 respondents in India, participants viewed a promotional video of Kyra, India’s first Virtual Influencer, endorsing the brand boAt. The findings indicate that physical and cognitive anthropomorphic features enhance both cognitive and affective trust, whereas emotional cues fail to build trust, likely due to consumer awareness of VI artificiality. Perceived authenticity positively influences affective trust but does not impact cognitive trust, suggesting that consumers perceive VIs as credible but not independently competent. Furthermore, customer engagement is driven by physical and emotional cues but not cognitive cues, while both cognitive and affective trust significantly impact engagement and E-WOM. The study finds that trust mediates the relationship between anthropomorphic cues and engagement, while engagement mediates the relationship between trust and E-WOM. Moreover, brand familiarity moderates the effect of emotional cues on affective trust, meaning that consumers are more likely to emotionally trust a VI when they are familiar with the associated brand. These insights offer practical implications for marketers and brands using VIs, emphasising the need to design realistic physical and cognitive attributes while ensuring content authenticity to foster trust and engagement. The study also highlights that VI-based marketing strategies can be particularly effective among younger demographics, though it raises ethical concerns regarding authenticity and emotional manipulation in digital influencer marketing.In “Examining the Impact of Anthropomorphism and AI-Chatbots Service Quality on Online Customer Flow Experience – Exploring the Moderating Role of Telepresence”, Ali Alalwan, Raed Algharabat, Amjad Abu El Samen, Hanaa Albanna and Manaf Al-Okaily investigate how AI chatbots’ anthropomorphism and service quality (AISAQUAL) influence online customer flow experiences, emotional brand attachment and brand loyalty. By adopting Flow Experience and the AISAQUAL models, the study explores how chatbot anthropomorphism and AI service quality (efficiency, security, availability, enjoyment and contact) enhance customer interaction, with telepresence as a moderating factor. Using a quantitative survey of 369 respondents in Jordan, the study finds that anthropomorphism and AISAQUAL significantly enhance online customer flow experiences, which in turn strengthen emotional brand attachment and brand loyalty. In addition, telepresence moderates the relationships between AISAQUAL, anthropomorphism and flow experience, amplifying their effects. These findings suggest that brands can enhance AI chatbot effectiveness by improving anthropomorphic design and AI service quality while leveraging telepresence to create immersive interactions. The study provides practical insights for brands optimising chatbot design and engagement strategies, while also highlighting the need for future research on cultural differences and longitudinal effects in AI-driven customer experiences.In “Anthropomorphic Generative AI Chatbots for Enhancing Customer Engagement, Experience, and Recommendation”, Aman Kumar, Amit Shankar, Abhishek Behl, Debarun Chakraborty and Raghava R. Gundala investigate how anthropomorphic features in generative AI-enabled chatbots influence customer engagement, experience and recommendations. By leveraging social response theory (SRT), the study explores how anthropomorphism affects perceptions of chatbot competence and warmth, subsequently shaping perceived authenticity and customer behavioural responses. In addition, the research examines how the need for social interaction moderates these relationships. Using a survey-based study with 282 global participants, the findings reveal that anthropomorphic characteristics significantly enhance perceived competence, which in turn strengthens perceived authenticity. However, anthropomorphism does not directly impact warmth, suggesting that mere human-like features may not be sufficient to create emotionally resonant interactions. The study further confirms that perceived authenticity positively influences customer engagement, experience and recommendations, underscoring its critical role in fostering meaningful interactions. Moreover, the need for social interaction moderates the effect of anthropomorphism on perceived warmth, with individuals who seek more social interaction responding more favourably to anthropomorphic AI. These insights offer strategic implications for businesses leveraging AI-driven customer engagement tools. The study highlights the importance of designing chatbots that not only exhibit anthropomorphic traits but also demonstrate high competence and authenticity to build customer trust and drive positive experiences. However, ethical considerations arise as hyper-anthropomorphised AI may blur the line between human and machine interactions, raising concerns about transparency and consumer perception. The study contributes to the evolving discourse on generative AI in marketing, offering practical guidance for brands to optimise AI chatbot design while balancing authenticity and ethical responsibility.In “Skip the AI-BOTs: Let’s Have Real Conversations in Human-Centric Services”, Omkar Dastane, Mun-Yee Ooi, Eugene Cheng-Xi Aw, Wen-Hwa Shyu and Garry Wei-Han Tan explore the impact of AI-based service chatbots (AI-BOTs) on user stickiness (US) in human-centric service industries, particularly within emergency reservation management in the travel and hospitality sector. Grounded in human−robot interaction (HRI) theory and the theory of perceived value (TPV), the study investigates how AI-BOT attributes − personalisation (PZ), recommendation (RC) and responsiveness (RS) − influence perceived competence (PC) and, subsequently, US. In addition, it examines the moderating role of perceived empathy (PE) in the relationship between PC and US. Using a survey-based approach with 470 Malaysian respondents who had prior experience interacting with AI-BOTs for emergency reservation services, the study finds that PZ and RC significantly enhance both PC and US, whereas RS has a weaker impact on PC. Interestingly, PE negatively moderates the PC−US relationship, suggesting that excessive AI-driven empathy might reduce user trust and engagement in high-stress service scenarios. The study offers key implications for businesses leveraging AI-driven customer service. While AI-BOTs can improve user retention through personalisation and relevant recommendations, overemphasising empathy could diminish their perceived competence, particularly in time-sensitive interactions. The findings highlight the importance of optimising chatbot design to balance functional and emotional value, ensuring that AI interactions remain efficient, competent and contextually appropriate. From a theoretical perspective, the study contributes to AI service literature by integrating technical (HRI) and value-based (TPV) perspectives. It challenges conventional assumptions that higher empathy constantly improves AI acceptance, emphasising that competence, not emotional mimicry, is the key driver of AI-BOT engagement in human-centric services. This research provides actionable insights for businesses that aim to enhance chatbot effectiveness while maintaining customer trust and satisfaction.In “Promoting Mindful Consumption Through a Chatbot with an Experiential Mind”, Ja Kyung Seo and Hye Jin Yoon explore how AI chatbots designed with an experiential mind influence consumer attitudes towards mindful consumption. Integrating the uncanny valley effect (UVE) and the arousal-biased competition (ABC) theory, the study examines how chatbots capable of expressing emotions and psychological states shape consumer engagement, emotional responses and cognitive absorption. Using an online experiment with 139 participants, the study contrasts a chatbot with a higher experiential mind (expressing emotions and psychological states) against a lower experiential mind (lacking emotional responses). Results show that a higher experiential mind chatbot simultaneously triggers eeriness and amazement, both of which enhance cognitive absorption and lead to more positive attitudes towards mindful consumption messages. The study further finds that eeriness, despite its traditionally negative connotation, can positively impact cognitive absorption, reframing its role in chatbot interactions. These insights suggest that AI chatbots designed with emotional intelligence can be powerful tools for sustainability marketing, fostering deeper engagement and persuasion in mindful consumption campaigns. However, ethical considerations arise, as highly anthropomorphised chatbots may influence consumer perceptions without critical evaluation. The study provides strategic guidance for brands and policymakers in designing effective and responsible AI-driven sustainability initiatives.In “Anthropomorphism and Transparency Interplay on Consumer Behaviour in Generative AI-driven Marketing Communication”, Yitong Wang, Kudzai Sauka and Frederik Situmeang examine how generative AI (GAI)-produced marketing communication influences consumer trust and purchase intention. Using social exchange theory (SET) and social presence theory (SPT) as key frameworks, the study explores the role of anthropomorphism (human-like characteristics in AI) and transparency (disclosure of AI-generated content) in shaping consumer perceptions and behavioural intentions. Using a survey-based experiment with 444 participants, the research contrasts two marketing communication scenarios: interactive chatbots and static promotional posters. Results indicate that anthropomorphism enhances purchase intention both directly and indirectly through perceived social presence and consumer trust. However, transparency moderates these effects, weakening the influence of anthropomorphism on social presence as transparency increases. In addition, chatbots amplify the effects of social presence and trust more than suggesting that dynamic interactions consumer engagement. transparency the perceived social presence of AI, it does not the overall anthropomorphism to purchase intention. These findings offer strategic insights for highlighting the potential of human-like AI communication to strengthen consumer trust and drive purchasing behaviour. 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