Abstract
As AI-powered chatbots become more prevalent in customer service, understanding how their design influences user perceptions and behaviors is essential. This study examines the effects of privacy assurance and anthropomorphic design on user privacy concerns, and how these concerns influence intentions to disclose personal information. A 2×2 between-subjects online experiment (n=104) shows that anthropomorphic design heightens privacy concerns, while static privacy statements and seals do not significantly reduce them. These concerns, in turn, lower users’ intention to disclose information, regardless of their general trust in technology. The findings contribute to the literature by highlighting the double-edged nature of anthropomorphic design, the limited effectiveness of static privacy cues, and the persistent role of privacy concerns in chatbot interactions. Practically, organizations should apply human-like features selectively and present privacy communications in clear, visible, and interactive formats to build trust and support responsible data sharing.
Recommended Citation
Javadi, Shirin and Kordzadeh, Nima, "Anthropomorphic Design and Privacy Assurance in Customer Service Chatbots" (2025). Proceedings of the 2025 Pre-ICIS SIGDSA Symposium. 64.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/sigdsa2025/64