The Impact of Conversational AI on Consumer Purchase Intent
Yoonju Han, Ye Siyan, Jeong Eun Park · Journal of Channel and Retailing · 2025
Purpose: As conversational artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly integrates into various sectors, including retail and e-commerce, its influence on consumer purchase behavior remains a critical area of study. This research aims to examine how the key characteristics of conversational AI (image, perceived intelligence, communication, interactivity, and relationship) influence consumers’ purchase platform attitude and their purchase intention. Additionally, the study investigates the mediating role of purchase platform attitude and the moderating effect of consumer involvement in shaping consumer responses to AI-driven interactions. Research design, data, and methodology: To test the proposed hypotheses, this study developed a theoretical model incorporating conversational AI characteristics, purchase platform attitude, purchase intention, and consumer involvement. A survey was conducted to collect empirical data, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Hayes’ PROCESS Macro (Model 4 and 7) were performed to validate the model and hypotheses. Results: All five AI characteristics were found to significantly influence consumers’ purchase platform attitude. Moreover, platform attitude had a significant positive effect on purchase intention and served as a meaningful mediator in the relationship between each AI attribute and purchase intention, with indirect effects supported by bootstrap confidence intervals. The moderating effect of consumer involvement was partially supported: the influence of image and interactivity on platform attitude was stronger for consumers with higher involvement, suggesting that perceptual and interactive qualities of AI resonate more with highly engaged users. Conclusions: This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating that all five conversational AI characteristics significantly influence purchase intention through the mediating role of platform attitude. The findings also show that consumer involvement moderates the effects of image and interactivity on platform attitude. These results highlight the importance of not only functional but also relational and emotional aspects of AI in shaping consumer behavior. From a managerial perspective, firms should design AI experiences that foster trust and emotional connection while tailoring interactions based on consumer involvement. Simplified interfaces can benefit low-involvement users, while advanced personalization may enhance engagement among highly involved consumers.