Trust in artificial intelligence: an empirical investigation in the organic food market

Purpose As the interface between companies and consumers becomes increasingly driven by artificial intelligence (AI) rather than by humans, this study investigates how purchase intentions differ in response to organic information delivered by AI versus human agents. By examining psychological drivers behind this difference, the research provides actionable insights for optimizing AI implementation in the organic market. Design/methodology/approach Three experiments are conducted and 555 participants are recruited to explore relationships among recommendation agents, trust, anthropomorphism and purchase intentions. Data are collected by an online research platform and analyzed by ANOVA and PROCESS 213. Findings The results find that consumers exhibit significantly greater willingness to purchase organic foods when information is provided by AI (vs. Human) in both online and offline scenarios. Also, consistent with previous studies, trust significantly mediates the relationship between received information and organic food purchase intentions. However, the data indicate that trust in integrity rather than in competence or benevolence emerges as the dominant factor in this market. Furthermore, the findings show that highly anthropomorphized AI agents significantly reduce perceived reliability of promotional information, thereby lowering purchase intentions for organic foods. Originality/value As organic is a credence attribute, establishing effective recommendation systems is crucial for marketers. This study examines the mechanism by which AI agents enhance the organic food purchasing intentions and thereby, extending the understanding of trust and the scope of AI applications in the market while offering practical suggestions for promoting organic foods in the AI era.