Left, right, and robotic: Political ideology’s influence on reactions to anthropomorphic AI service robots in hospitality through the lens of social response theory

This study examines how political ideology moderates consumer reactions to anthropomorphic AI service robots in hospitality settings, drawing on social response theory and moral foundations theory. Two experimental studies (N = 217 in Study 1; N = 226 in Study 2) tested the effects of robot design (anthropomorphic vs. mechanistic) on attitudes toward interaction and usage intentions, with political ideology as a moderator. Results from both studies show that conservatives exhibit more positive attitudes and intentions toward anthropomorphic robots compared to mechanistic ones, while liberals’ responses remain consistent regardless of design. Study 2 reveals that perceived enjoyment and parasocial relationships mediate these effects, with stronger indirect influences among conservatives. The findings highlight ideological differences in AI acceptance, extending social response theory by demonstrating conditional effects of anthropomorphism. Practically, hospitality businesses can tailor robot designs to regional ideological profiles to enhance customer engagement amid labor shortages. Limitations include scenario-based methods; future research could explore real-world settings and additional mediators like trust. • Conservatives prefer human-like AI; liberals stay consistent regardless of design. • Anthropomorphic robots enhance trust and engagement, especially for conservatives. • Political ideology moderates how consumers perceive and accept service robots. • Perceived enjoyment and parasocial bonds explain consumer responses to robot design. • Human-like features help bridge tech comfort gaps in politically diverse markets.