A Study on the Difference of Preference for Artificial Intelligence Services According to the Uniqueness of Distribution Concepts and Consumers

Purpose: This study seeks to explore whether artificial intelligence services would be unpopular if the concept or brand image of distribution stores are unique. Research design, data, and methodology: The first study utilizes a 3×2 design. The major variables of Study 1 were consumer need for uniqueness (high vs. low), brand uniqueness (high vs. low), and the service provider (AI vs. human expert). The second study utilizes a 2×2 design. The major variables for Study 2 were the priming concept (uniqueness vs. conformity) and the service provider (AI vs. human doctor). The third study utilizes a 2×2 design. The major variables for Study 3 were the user (self vs. other) and the service provider (AI chatbot vs. film critic). The number of respondents were 278 for Study 1, 164 for Study 2, and 138 for Study 3. Results: In Study 1, respondents with a high need for uniqueness preferred the touch of experts to AI in skin diagnostic services. This pattern was more pronounced in stores with unique brand image, compared to stores with non-unique brand image. The mediation test revealed that the uniqueness-seeking respondents expected experts to better understand and consider their uniqueness than statistical AI. In Study 2, respondents whose concept of uniqueness had been primed trusted doctors more than AI in medical services compared to those whose concept of conformity had been primed. In Study 3, respondents under the “self” category preferred chatting with film critics over AI chatbots in movie recommendations compared to the respondents in the “other” category. Implications: This research suggests that uniqueness can impede AI acceptance in various contexts. Perhaps the reason why AI is spreading slower than expected is not because of technological problems, but rather because of the human fear that individual uniqueness or human character may be lost.