Invigorating continuance intention among users of AI chatbots in the banking industry: an empirical study from Tanzania

While there has been a significant increase in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in marketing, limited research has focused on the user experience of AI-powered chatbots and their implications in developing countries. Therefore, this study developed a research model to test the interrelationship between gratification, intention to accept recommendations from AI chatbots, and continuance intention using the Uses and Gratification (U&G) theory. This study gathered data from 410 customers of commercial banks in Tanzania, employing a quantitative survey approach that was analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that the gratification dimensions significantly drive continuance intention through the intention to accept recommendations from AI chatbots. The study recommends that marketers ensure that AI chatbots, serving as service agents, offer enjoyment and emotional support to customers to enhance continuance intention. The proposed research model developed and tested in this study is among the very few studies that examine AI chatbots’ continuance intentions in the context of developing countries. This study introduces the intention to accept AI chatbots’ recommendations as a mechanism that can promote continuance intention when fueled by gratification.