How does anthropomorphism influence consumer's acceptance of ambient intelligence ?

Abstract

In Today’s context of constant innovation and technological advances, the concept of ambient intelligence is progressively meeting the technological requirements necessary to become a reality. This concept refers to everyday objects embedded with small sensors allowing them to understand their environment, interact with people and make decisions. This is synonym of huge opportunities of improvements in human life. However, such technology also raises major concerns of privacy and loss of control in the minds of its potential users, delaying its acceptance.

Consequently, this research investigates this particular topic with the aim of understanding the effect anthropomorphism has on the acceptance of ambient intelligence. Anthropomorphism, the process of attributing human characteristics to non-human agents, proved to be a useful tool and is often used by marketers to generate positive feelings towards their brands. However, several studies have demonstrated that anthropomorphism, when used in certain conditions, could also harm brands' position.

After reviewing the literature on anthropomorphism and technology acceptance, an experiment was conducted to investigate the relationship between these two concepts in the context of ambient intelligence. The results demonstrate that anthropomorphism has a positive effect on ambient intelligence's acceptance, but that this effect is moderated by the way consumer perceive the ambient intelligence device. When they are confronted to a device that they associate strongly with loss of privacy and loss of control, consumers' acceptance of the device will be weaker if this device is anthropomorphized than if it is not.