The Mediating Effect of Usage Degree on the Relationship between AI Speaker Usage Attitude and Usage Effect of the Elderly Living Alone

This study aimed to verify the influence of artificial intelligence (AI) speaker usage attitude on usage effect and the mediating effect of usage degree of the elderly living alone. Survey data collected from 159 seniors aged 65 years and older in G Metropolitan City, who used AI care services, were analyzed using SPSS 29.0. The analysis included descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, mediation effect analysis, and Bootstrapping verification. The results showed that the elderly participants generally held positive attitudes toward AI speakers in terms of enjoyment, anthropomorphism, and trust, while privacy concerns were low. The daily check-in feature had the highest usage rate, while the emergency alert feature had the lowest. Regarding the usage effect, increased physical activity was the most prominent, followed by increased positive thinking and social interaction. Correlation analysis revealed that privacy concerns were not significantly related to usage degree or usage effect and were thus excluded. Enjoyment, anthropomorphism, and trust were confirmed to have direct and indirect positive effects on usage effect, mediated by usage degree. These results provide empirical evidence for the effective design and operation of AI care services for the elderly living alone, suggesting the need for customized feature development and phased educational support.