Abstract
Digital technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) are driving the growth of live-streaming e-commerce. As a result, a rising number of virtual anchors who are appearing in live-streaming e-commerce, generating customer engagement. However, whether the virtual anchor driven by different types of AI–human collaboration has different impacts on consumer engagement needs to be further investigated. By adopting the use and gratifications theory, this paper investigated the mechanism of the virtual anchor driven by AI–human collaboration on consumer engagement and the moderating effect of the humorous response. The results of two studies demonstrated that the virtual anchor driven by assisted AI–human collaboration contributed to higher levels of perceived playfulness than those driven by supervised AI–human collaboration, leading to increased customer engagement. Meanwhile, it was found that the differences between the supervised and assisted virtual anchor driven by AI–human collaboration on perceived playfulness decrease when the humorous response is present. This paper fills in the gap in virtual anchor research by providing insights into how to enhance the positive effect of customer engagement and giving suggestions for future research on virtual anchors.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Yun, J., Lee, D., Cottingham, M., & Hyun, H. (2023). New generation commerce: The rise of live commerce (L-commerce). Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 74, 103394.
Guo, Y., Zhang, K., & Wang, C. (2022). Way to success: Understanding top streamer’s popularity and influence from the perspective of source characteristics. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 64, 102786.
Gao, W., Jiang, N., & Guo, Q. (2023). How do virtual streamers affect purchase intention in the live streaming context? A presence perspective. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 73, 103356.
Blut, M., Wang, C., Wünderlich, N. V., & Brock, C. (2021). Understanding anthropomorphism in service provision: A meta-analysis of physical robots, chatbots, and other AI. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 49(4), 632–658.
Liao, J., Chen, K., Qi, J., Li, J., & Yu, I. Y. (2023). Creating immersive and parasocial live shopping experience for viewers: The role of streamers’ interactional communication style. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, 17(1), 140–155.
Hou, F., Guan, Z., Li, B., & Chong, A. Y. L. (2020). Factors influencing people’s continuous watching intention and consumption intention in live streaming. Internet Research, 30(1), 141–163.
Niu, B., Yu, X., & Dong, J. (2023). Could AI livestream perform better than KOL in cross-border operations? Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 174, 103130.
Xiao, L., & Kumar, V. (2019). Robotics for customer service: A useful complement or an ultimate substitute? Journal of Service Research, 24(1), 9–29.
Dwivedi, Y. K., Hughes, L., Ismagilova, E., Aarts, G., Coombs, C., Crick, T., Duan, Y., Dwivedi, R., Edwards, J., & Eirug, A. (2021). Artificial Intelligence (AI): Multidisciplinary perspectives on emerging challenges, opportunities, and agenda for research, practice and policy. International Journal of Information Management, 57, 101994.
Gervasi, R., Mastrogiacomo, L., & Franceschini, F. (2020). A conceptual framework to evaluate human–robot collaboration. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 108(3), 841–865.
Peng, C., van Doorn, J., Eggers, F., & Wieringa, J. E. (2022). The effect of required warmth on consumer acceptance of artificial intelligence in service: The moderating role of AI–human collaboration. International Journal of Information Management, 66, 102533.
Luo, X., Qin, M. S., Fang, Z., & Qu, Z. (2020). Artificial intelligence coaches for sales agents: Caveats and solutions. Journal of Marketing, 85(2), 14–32.
McLeay, F., Osburg, V. S., Yoganathan, V., & Patterson, A. (2020). Replaced by a robot: Service implications in the age of the machine. Journal of Service Research, 24(1), 104–121.
Longoni, C., & Cian, L. (2020). Artificial intelligence in utilitarian vs. hedonic contexts: The “word-of-machine” effect. Journal of Marketing, 86(1), 91–108.
Bansal, P., & Kockelman, K. M. (2018). Are we ready to embrace connected and self-driving vehicles? A case study of Texans. Transportation, 45, 641–675.
Hossain, M. A., Kim, M., & Jahan, N. (2019). Can “liking” behavior lead to usage intention on Facebook? Uses and gratification theory perspective. Sustainability, 11(4), 1166.
Jiang, Q., Gu, C., Feng, Y., Wei, W., & Tsai, W.-C. (2022). Study on the continuance intention in using virtual shoe-try-on function in mobile online shopping. Kybernetes, ahead-of-print.
Kim, M., & Kim, H.-M. (2022). What online game spectators want from their twitch streamers: Flow and well-being perspectives. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 66, 102951.
Luo, H., Cheng, S., Zhou, W., Yu, S., & Lin, X. (2021). A study on the impact of linguistic persuasive styles on the sales volume of live streaming products in social E-Commerce environment. Mathematics, 9(13), 1576.
Kaur, P., Dhir, A., Chen, S., Malibari, A., & Almotairi, M. (2020). Why do people purchase virtual goods? A uses and gratification (U&G) theory perspective. Telematics and Informatics, 53, 101376.
Roux, T. (2020). Users’ experience of digital wayfinding screens: A uses and gratification perspective from South Africa. Advances in Human–Computer Interaction, 1, 1–11.
Kujur, F., & Singh, S. (2020). Visual communication and consumer-brand relationship on social networking sites-uses & gratifications theory perspective. Journal of theoretical and applied electronic commerce research, 15(1), 30–47.
Alhassan, M. D., Kolog, E. A., & Boateng, R. (2020). Effect of gratification on user attitude and continuance use of mobile payment services: A developing country context. Journal of Systems and Information Technology., 22(4), 351–378.
Rese, A., Ganster, L., & Baier, D. (2020). Chatbots in retailers’ customer communication: How to measure their acceptance? Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 56, 102176.
Murphy, J., Gretzel, U., & Pesonen, J. (2019). Marketing robot services in hospitality and tourism: The role of anthropomorphism. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 36(7), 784–795.
Sheehan, B., Jin, H. S., & Gottlieb, U. (2020). Customer service chatbots: Anthropomorphism and adoption. Journal of Business Research, 115, 14–24.
Siemon, D. (2022). Elaborating team roles for artificial intelligence-based teammates in human–AI collaboration. Group Decision and Negotiation, 31(5), 871–912.
Vössing, M., Kühl, N., Lind, M., & Satzger, G. (2022). Designing transparency for effective human–AI collaboration. Information Systems Frontiers, 24(2), 1–19.
Jessup, S., Gibson, A., Capiola, A., Alarcon, G., & Borders, M. (2020). Investigating the effect of trust manipulations on affect over time in human–human versus human–robot interactions. In Hawaii international conference on system sciences (pp. 1–10).
Tsai, C.-Y., Marshall, J. D., Choudhury, A., Serban, A., Tsung-Yu Hou, Y., Jung, M. F., Dionne, S. D., & Yammarino, F. J. (2022). Human–robot collaboration: A multilevel and integrated leadership framework. The Leadership Quarterly, 33(1), 101594.
Koschmann, A., & Bowman, D. (2018). Evaluating marketplace synergies of ingredient brand alliances. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 35(4), 575–590.
Pan, R., Feng, J., & Zhao, Z. (2022). Fly with the wings of live-stream selling: Channel strategies with/without switching demand. Production and Operations Management, 31(9), 3387–3399.
Liu, C., Sun, K., & Liu, L. (2023). The formation and transformation mechanisms of deep consumer engagement and purchase behavior in E-Commerce live streaming. Sustainability, 15(7), 5754.
Guo, L., Hu, X., Lu, J., & Ma, L. (2021). Effects of customer trust on engagement in live streaming commerce: Mediating role of swift guanxi. Internet Research, 31(5), 1718–1744.
Gu, Y., Cheng, X., & Shen, J. (2023). Design shopping as an experience: Exploring the effect of the live-streaming shopping characteristics on consumers’ participation intention and memorable experience. Information & Management, 60, 103810.
Ye, C., Zheng, R., & Li, L. (2022). The effect of visual and interactive features of tourism live streaming on tourism consumers’ willingness to participate. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 27, 506–525.
Chen, T., Tang, S., Shao, Z., He, J., Zhang, X., & Zhu, P. (2023). Doing well by doing good: The effect of purchasing poverty-alleviation products on consumers’ subsequent product preference in live streaming shopping. Computers in Human Behavior, 144, 107753.
Wang, B., Xie, F., Kandampully, J., & Wang, J. (2022). Increase hedonic products purchase intention through livestreaming: The mediating effects of mental imagery quality and customer trust. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 69, 103109.
Zhou, Y., & Huang, W. (2023). The influence of network anchor traits on shopping intentions in a live streaming marketing context: The mediating role of value perception and the moderating role of consumer involvement. Economic Analysis and Policy, 78, 332–342.
He, Y., Li, W., & Xue, J. (2022). What and how driving consumer engagement and purchase intention in officer live streaming? A two-factor theory perspective. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 56, 101223.
Manser Payne, E. H., Dahl, A. J., & Peltier, J. (2021). Digital servitization value co-creation framework for AI services: A research agenda for digital transformation in financial service ecosystems. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, 15(2), 200–222.
Nagel, D. M., Giunipero, L., Jung, H., Salas, J., & Hochstein, B. (2021). Purchaser perceptions of early phase supplier relationships: The role of similarity and likeability. Journal of Business Research, 128, 174–186.
Zhang, M., Sun, L., Qin, F., & Wang, G. A. (2021). E-service quality on live streaming platforms: Swift guanxi perspective. Journal of Services Marketing, 35(3), 312–324.
Longoni, C., Bonezzi, A., & Morewedge, C. K. (2019). Resistance to medical artificial intelligence. Journal of Consumer Research, 46(4), 629–650.
Lv, J., Cao, C., Xu, Q., Ni, L., Shao, X., & Shi, Y. (2022). How live streaming interactions and their visual stimuli affect users’ sustained engagement behaviour: A comparative experiment using live and virtual live streaming. Sustainability, 14(14), 8907.
Wu, Y., Jiang, Q., Ni, S., & Liang, H. (2021). Critical factors for predicting users’ acceptance of digital museums for experience-influenced environments. Information, 12(10), 426.
Aw, E.C.-X., Tan, G.W.-H., Cham, T.-H., Raman, R., & Ooi, K.-B. (2022). Alexa, what’s on my shopping list? Transforming customer experience with digital voice assistants. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 180, 121711.
Chung, M., Ko, E., Joung, H., & Kim, S. J. (2020). Chatbot e-service and customer satisfaction regarding luxury brands. Journal of Business Research, 117, 587–595.
Tan, T. M., Makkonen, H., Kaur, P., & Salo, J. (2022). How do ethical consumers utilize sharing economy platforms as part of their sustainable resale behavior? The role of consumers’ green consumption values. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 176, 121432.
Xiao, L., Li, X., & Zhang, Y. (2023). Exploring the factors influencing consumer engagement behavior regarding short-form video advertising: A big data perspective. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 70, 103170.
Zhang, M., Gursoy, D., Zhu, Z., & Shi, S. (2021). Impact of anthropomorphic features of artificially intelligent service robots on consumer acceptance: Moderating role of sense of humor. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 33(11), 3883–3905.
De Cicco, R., Silva, S. C. L., & Alparone, F. R. (2021). “It’s on its way”: Chatbots applied for online food delivery services, social or task-oriented interaction style? Journal of Foodservice Business Research, 24(2), 140–164.
Shin, H., & Larson, L. R. (2020). The bright and dark sides of humorous response to online customer complaint. European Journal of Marketing, 54(8), 2013–2047.
Vitezić, V., & Perić, M. (2021). Artificial intelligence acceptance in services: Connecting with Generation Z. The Service Industries Journal, 41(13–14), 926–946.
Liu, J. (2022). Artificial intelligence humor in service recovery. Annals of Tourism Research, 95, 103439.
Lv, X., Yang, Y., Qin, D., Cao, X., & Xu, H. (2022). Artificial intelligence service recovery: The role of empathic response in hospitality customers’ continuous usage intention. Computers in Human Behavior, 126, 106993.
Go, E., & Sundar, S. S. (2019). Humanizing chatbots: The effects of visual, identity and conversational cues on humanness perceptions. Computers in Human Behavior, 97, 304–316.
Oliveira, R., Arriaga, P., Axelsson, M., & Paiva, A. (2021). Humor–Robot interaction: A scoping review of the literature and future directions. International Journal of Social Robotics, 13(6), 1369–1383.
Tan, S.-M., & Liew, T. W. (2020). Designing embodied virtual agents as product specialists in a multi-product category E-commerce: The roles of source credibility and social presence. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, 36(12), 1136–1149.
Dhar, R., & Wertenbroch, K. (2000). Consumer choice between hedonic and utilitarian goods. Journal of Marketing Research, 37, 60–71.
Bytedance, (2022, June 24). Report on Big Data analysis and trend research of China's live streaming e-commerce industry in 2022–2023. OR Commons. Retrieved July 29, 2023, from https://www.iimedia.cn/c400/86233.html
Economist, (2021, June 5). Comparison of companies in China's live e-commerce industry in 2021. OR Commons. Retrieved July 29, 2023, from https://www.qianzhan.com/analyst/detail/220/210604-c60f5dda.html
McShane, L., Pancer, E., Poole, M., & Deng, Q. (2021). Emoji, playfulness, and brand engagement on twitter. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 53, 96–110.
Kull, A. J., Romero, M., & Monahan, L. (2021). How may I help you? Driving brand engagement through the warmth of an initial chatbot message. Journal of Business Research, 135, 840–850.
Li, X., Guo, M., & Huang, D. (2023). The role of scarcity promotion and cause-related events in impulse purchase in the agricultural product live stream. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 3800.
Hayes, A. F. (2015). An index and test of linear moderated mediation. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 50(1), 1–22.
Kim, S., Jang, S., Choi, W., Youn, C., & Lee, Y. (2022). Contactless service encounters among Millennials and Generation Z: The effects of millennials and Gen Z characteristics on technology self-efficacy and preference for contactless service. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, 16(1), 82–100.
Funding
Funding was provided by Social Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 21BGL057).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Zhang, Y., Wang, X. & Zhao, X. Supervising or assisting? The influence of virtual anchor driven by AI–human collaboration on customer engagement in live streaming e-commerce. Electron Commer Res (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10660-023-09783-5
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10660-023-09783-5