An exploration of financial services digital encounters in developing countries

Purpose (limit 100 words) Recent advances in technological transformation are gradually changing the way customers interact with financial services and conduct financial transactions. However, little is known about customers' experiences (CX) with AI-enabled chatbots (AECs) in developing countries, making it an under-researched context. Design/methodology/approach (limit 100 words) To enhance our understanding of customers' attitudes towards AI-enabled technologies, we adopted an exploratory, inductive research approach to gather data from customers and managers from multiple cases of financial institutions. We accumulated evidence by combining semi-structured interviews (SSIs), netnography, and archival documents. Findings (limit 100 words) Our findings reveal that factors such as perceived trust in AECs, perceived security in AECs, perception of AEC expertise, perceived interaction design, Cultural and societal dynamics, and perceived competence and authenticity impact consumers' interactions with AECs deployed by financial services. Originality/value (limit 100 words) Our research involves important new ramifications for several stakeholders in developing economies, including concerned research communities, financial service managers (such as those in e-banking), designers of financial products and services, marketers, technology developers, and regulators.