Therapeutic hospitality in the digital age: Exploring behavioral and psychological consequences of guest interactions with AI-powered chatbots

This research aims to explore the impact of guest interaction with AI-powered chatbots on the quality of guest experience in innovative services of therapeutic hotels and to verify its impact on digital empowerment and perceived psychological safety. This research employed a quantitative approach using an online questionnaire distributed to 501 therapeutic hotel guests in Greater Cairo. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling with ADANCO v.2.4. The results showed that guest interaction with chatbots had a positive and significant impact on guest experiences of innovative services. Findings also confirmed that trust in technology strengthened the relationship between guest experience quality and these services, as well as both digital empowerment and perceived psychological safety. This research contributes to developing digital empowerment strategies for inmates, focusing on improving access to available information and facilitating the management of each inmate's treatment plan. This reduces reliance on human intervention and provides a more private environment for their medical information. Furthermore, this research highlights the importance of psychological and technological training for inmates in using smart services safely, promoting the long-term acceptance of emerging technologies.