Understanding customer acceptance of AI products: How do AI autonomy and specific self-efficacy affect the acceptance intention?

Artificial intelligence (AI) products are becoming increasingly intelligent and autonomous. However, not all customers prefer highly autonomous AI products. This study applies the concept of specific self-efficacy (SSE) to classify customers and identify those who are more likely to prefer highly autonomous AI products. Using two scenario-based experiments, the results show that (1) when SSE is high, AI products with low AI autonomy elicit higher acceptance intention, whereas when SSE is low, products with high AI autonomy are more strongly preferred; and (2) perceived usefulness and perceived autonomy threat mediate the interaction effect of SSE and AI autonomy on customers’ acceptance intentions. Theoretically, these findings enrich the literature on AI marketing. Practically, the results help enterprises better understand customers’ acceptance of AI products and support the development of AI offerings tailored to different target segments.