The Roles of Anthropomorphism and Perceived Usefulness on Usage Intention Of AI-Based Chatbot Application

Currently, some businesses are utilizing service robots, including virtual chatbots and physical robots, to assist clients. This study builds on previous research to clarify the topic and enhance the comprehension framework. We develop a comprehensive model to explore the relationships between anthropomorphism, perceived usefulness, perceived trust, and usage intention within the context of AI-based chatbot applications in the healthcare sector. The 155 respondents participated in this research, and the data results were tested using PLS-SEM. The study reveals how anthropomorphism influences customer intentions to use robots in particular settings. Moreover, the finding showed that perceived usefulness affected usage intention positively, with a weaker effect than anthropomorphism, which plays a more significant role in driving user intentions than perceived usefulness. Since the research result mainly has positive effects associated with anthropomorphized service robots, managers should not worry that an uncanny valley effect will lead customers to decline to use service robots. Based on the findings, future research should investigate the potential interaction effects between anthropomorphism and perceived usefulness to understand whether their combined presence leads to synergistic effects on usage intention and use of different research designs.