When do service robots foster usage intentions? the roles of automated social presence, sense of agency, and social setting in unmanned hotels

The incorporation of artificial intelligence can potentially enhance robot performance. Furthermore, the extensive deployment of service robots in reception services underscores the growing necessity for a comprehensive understanding of consumer reactions, particularly in scenarios where human assistance is either unavailable or replaced by automated systems. We developed a model of inexperienced consumers’ intention to use service robots in unstaffed hospitality settings by integrating automated social presence, sense of agency, and social evaluation theory. The results of four scenario-based experiments, an online survey, and a service-mode preference study indicate that automated social presence increases consumers’ intention to use service robots both directly and by enhancing their sense of agency. However, this influence is contingent on the presence of other consumers. Specifically, the positive effect of automated social presence on sense of agency is weaker when other consumers are present than when they are absent, which in turn weakens consumers’ intention to use service robots. These findings have significant theoretical and practical implications for hospitality and tourism.