Investigating the Service Quality of Artificial Intelligence Service Agents

Abstract

This research was undertaken to investigate the impact of artificial intelligence service agents (AISA) on service quality and its outcomes as perceived by consumers. Using chatbots and virtual assistants as suitable exemplars of AISA, three studies were conducted and are reported in this thesis. Study 1 establishes the domain of AISA service quality. Through qualitative in-depth interviews with AISA users and experts, a conceptual framework is developed, synthesising the relationships between consumers’ perceptions of AISA service quality and its antecedents, outcomes and moderators. 12 service quality dimensions are proposed based on the qualitative evidence, two of which are new and represent a key contribution to the service quality literature. Study 1 also provides a research agenda. Study 2 seeks to empirically validate the AISA service quality dimensions identified in Study 1. Accordingly, Study 2 constructs, refines and validates a multidimensional AISA service quality scale (AISAQUAL) using established scale development techniques. AISAQUAL contains 26 items across six dimensions: efficiency, security, availability, enjoyment, contact and anthropomorphism. Anthropomorphism is established as a new service quality dimension. Study 2 also confirms AISAQUAL’s predictive influence on the outcomes of satisfaction, perceived value and loyalty intentions in the AISA context. Finally, based on the research agenda in Study 1 and the new AISAQUAL scale developed in Study 2, Study 3 investigates other outcomes of service quality in the AISA context beyond those tested in Study 2. Shifting focus towards important affective service quality outcomes on the consumer, Study 3 investigates the link between AISA service quality and the consumer’s subjective well-being through the mediating role of the parasocial relationship. A new theoretical model is developed and tested. Findings also suggest significant differences between male and female users. Overall, studies in this thesis extend our understanding of service quality in the AISA context