Paper Type
Short
Paper Number
PACIS2025-1201
Description
This paper examines the impact of Augmented Human Agents (AHAs)—hybrids of human and AI agents—on customer engagement in e-commerce, focusing on the role of agent identity disclosure and communication style. Using the Human-AI Interaction Theory of Interactive Media Effects (HAII-TIME), the study explores how disclosing agent types (human, AI, or AHA) and communication styles (social-oriented vs. task-oriented) influence customer engagement, with cognitive heuristics (social presence and machine heuristics) acting as mediators. A 3x2 interactive experimental design will investigate these dynamics, revealing how AHAs trigger both social presence and machine-related perceptions. The findings aim to offer new insights into the psychological drivers of customer engagement, inform best practices for agent identity transparency in customer service, and guide the responsible implementation of AI in organizations. This research enhances understanding of human-AI collaboration and provides practical recommendations for improving e-commerce interactions and innovation.
Recommended Citation
Kissoon, Atish Chetan; Fu, Shixuan; and Yan, Xiangbin, "A Cognitive Heuristics Perspective on Augmented Human Agents: Disclosure and Communication Style in E-Commerce" (2025). PACIS 2025 Proceedings. 6.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/pacis2025/hci/hci/6
A Cognitive Heuristics Perspective on Augmented Human Agents: Disclosure and Communication Style in E-Commerce
This paper examines the impact of Augmented Human Agents (AHAs)—hybrids of human and AI agents—on customer engagement in e-commerce, focusing on the role of agent identity disclosure and communication style. Using the Human-AI Interaction Theory of Interactive Media Effects (HAII-TIME), the study explores how disclosing agent types (human, AI, or AHA) and communication styles (social-oriented vs. task-oriented) influence customer engagement, with cognitive heuristics (social presence and machine heuristics) acting as mediators. A 3x2 interactive experimental design will investigate these dynamics, revealing how AHAs trigger both social presence and machine-related perceptions. The findings aim to offer new insights into the psychological drivers of customer engagement, inform best practices for agent identity transparency in customer service, and guide the responsible implementation of AI in organizations. This research enhances understanding of human-AI collaboration and provides practical recommendations for improving e-commerce interactions and innovation.
Comments
HCI