Can (A)I Arouse You? The Impact of AI Services on Consumer Pro-Environmental Behavior

Abstract

Previous research has primarily focused on individual determinants to promote consumer pro-environmental behavior in the hospitality industry, overlooking the potential influence of emerging artificial intelligence (AI) services. This study delves into uncharted territory, exploring whether, how, and when AI services impact consumer pro-environmental behavior. Drawing on social facilitation theory, we conducted four experiments involving 748 participants from the United States, the United Kingdom, and China. The results revealed a novel and unexpected finding: AI services significantly reduced consumer social arousal, consequently diminishing consumer pro-environmental behavior when compared to human services, with social arousal mediating this effect. Moreover, we discovered that individuals’ philosophical stance significantly influenced this mediating effect, revealing a mitigated linkage among consumers with computational philosophical stances. This research not only uncovers a previously unexplored negative impact of AI services on consumer environmental practices but also contributes to the growing body of knowledge in this domain.