Unlocking hotel brand advocacy: The role of perceived technological empowerment, AI service quality, and customer readiness

Background AI-enabled technologies are increasingly empowering hotel guests and reshaping customer–brand interactions. Yet, how this perceived technological empowerment drives brand advocacy through AI service quality and customer engagement remains underexplored. Objective This study investigates the mechanisms through which perceived technological empowerment (PTE) drives hotel brand advocacy (BA), emphasizing the mediating and moderating roles of AI service quality (AI-SQ), customer engagement (CE), and customer ability readiness (CAR). Methods A survey was conducted among customers of five-star hotels in Egypt, yielding 432 valid responses. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with WarpPLS 8.0. Results The findings reveal that PTE positively influences both CE and AI-SQ, while AI-SQ further enhances CE and mediates the relationship between PTE and CE. Moreover, CAR moderates the relationship between PTE and AI-SQ, with higher customer readiness strengthening the effect. Both PTE and CE are found to positively impact BA, with CE partially mediating the link between PTE and BA. Conclusion These results highlight the critical role of empowering hotel technologies and customer readiness in enhancing AI service experiences, fostering engagement, and ultimately driving brand advocacy. The study provides practical implications for hotel managers seeking to leverage AI-enabled services to strengthen customer relationships and brand loyalty.