Promoting environmental sustainability through chatbot use in shipment delivery: an integrated model of UTAUT2 and TTF

Purpose The growing use of chatbots across various industries has underscored their potential for enhancing operational efficiency and customer service. However, limited empirical research has focused on the factors influencing their adoption, specifically within shipment delivery, and how this adoption may contribute to environmental sustainability. This study seeks to address this gap by integrating the UTAUT2 framework with the Task-Technology Fit (TTF) model to investigate the critical drivers of chatbot usage in shipment delivery while exploring its impact on environmental sustainability. Design/methodology/approach The theoretical model was evaluated using survey data collected from 344 chatbot users in the UAE. A purposive sampling technique was employed to ensure respondents had prior experience with chatbots. The data were analyzed using partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the hypothesized relationships and assess the model's predictive power. Findings The results revealed that performance expectancy and effort expectancy had no significant impact on chatbot adoption in shipment delivery. However, social influence, facilitating conditions, habit, hedonic motivation, individual-technology fit and task-technology fit positively influenced chatbot use. Besides, the study found that using chatbots for shipment delivery significantly promoted environmental sustainability by reducing resource consumption and optimizing shipment processes. Originality/value This study integrates UTAUT2 and TTF to explore chatbot adoption in the understudied context of shipment delivery, focusing on its environmental outcomes. It offers fresh insights into the drivers of technology adoption in a collectivistic culture and provides empirical evidence on how chatbot usage can support sustainability in logistics. This research paves the way for future studies on the role of technology in promoting sustainability across industries.