Driving Sustainable Consumption and Word of Mouth Through AI Fitness Apps: The Role of Customer Engagement

This study investigates the factors influencing customer engagement in AI-powered fitness applications and the subsequent impact on behavioral outcomes such as word of mouth and sustainable consumption. A quantitative research design was employed, with data collected through a structured survey from users of AI fitness applications, and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Drawing on the Information Systems Success Model and engagement theory, the research examines the roles of service quality, system quality, information quality, health consciousness, anthropomorphism, and personal innovativeness. Findings reveal that higher perceived quality across service, system, and information dimensions, coupled with health consciousness and human-like features, significantly enhances user engagement. Engagement, in turn, drives both advocacy and sustainable behaviors, while personal innovativeness selectively amplifies the effect of system quality. The study advances theoretical understanding by adapting and extending established models to the context of AI-driven health technologies, while also providing practical insights for the development of intelligent, user-centric fitness applications that promote sustained engagement and responsible use.