Abstract
This study investigates the impact of AI shopping assistant social presence perception on users’ purchase intention through the lens of social presence theory and the persuasion knowledge model. Using data from 193 valid questionnaires collected through the Tencent Questionnaire platform, the results reveal that intelligent presence significantly promotes purchase intention (β = 0.712, p < 0.001), while emotional presence does not have a significant direct effect (β = -0.019, p = 0.813). Trust dimensions, particularly reliability trust, play crucial mediating roles in these relationships. The findings contribute to understanding the double-edged sword effect of AI “humanization” design and provide practical guidance for e-commerce platforms.
Recommended Citation
Sun, Mingxin; Li, Yuhui; and Tan, Beiping, "The “Humanization” Paradox of AI Shopping Assistants: The Double-Edged Sword Effect of Social Presence Perception" (2026). ICEB 2026 Proceedings (Beijing, China). 99.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/iceb2026/99