Location
Hilton Waikoloa Village, Hawaii
Event Website
https://hicss.hawaii.edu/
Start Date
7-1-2025 12:00 AM
End Date
10-1-2025 12:00 AM
Description
Anthropomorphism, the attribution of human-like traits, qualities, and mental states to non-human agents, is increasingly ubiquitous in artificial intelligence (AI) applications within service provisions. While imbuing anthropomorphism into AI agents enhances user interaction, it also has a dark side that poses significant ethical concerns by potentially causing harm to consumers. In response, our study constructs a framework to explain how anthropomorphic features in AI agents can lead to misplaced trustworthiness among consumers. We adopt a sociotechnical perspective and employ a case study design to achieve this. Our findings hope to advance the social sustainability of AI to promote responsible production and consumption patterns in global service markets.
Recommended Citation
Hasan, Rakibul; Ojala, Arto; Quach, Sara; Thaichon, Park; and Weaven, Scott, "The Dark Side of AI Anthropomorphism: A Case of Misplaced Trustworthiness in Service Provisions" (2025). Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences 2025 (HICSS-58). 3.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/hicss-58/os/dark_side/3
The Dark Side of AI Anthropomorphism: A Case of Misplaced Trustworthiness in Service Provisions
Hilton Waikoloa Village, Hawaii
Anthropomorphism, the attribution of human-like traits, qualities, and mental states to non-human agents, is increasingly ubiquitous in artificial intelligence (AI) applications within service provisions. While imbuing anthropomorphism into AI agents enhances user interaction, it also has a dark side that poses significant ethical concerns by potentially causing harm to consumers. In response, our study constructs a framework to explain how anthropomorphic features in AI agents can lead to misplaced trustworthiness among consumers. We adopt a sociotechnical perspective and employ a case study design to achieve this. Our findings hope to advance the social sustainability of AI to promote responsible production and consumption patterns in global service markets.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/hicss-58/os/dark_side/3