Advancing Consumer Behavior: The Role of Artificial Intelligence Technologies and Knowledge Sharing

Abstract

The increasing use of digital technologies has significantly reshaped marketing and consumer behavior (CB) as online communities and cutting-edge innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI) disrupt and advance consumer attitudes on specific products and services. As such, online communities that are supported by AI technologies creating new knowledge from consumer interactions through platforms like social media as consumers share experiences on specific products or services. Since AI is designed to “learn” and improve with data generated from digital technologies linked to consumer interactions, AI relies on consumer knowledge-sharing (KS) activities to replicate new knowledge for product and service improvement. However, given the knowledge gap in this area, this article applies the fsQCA technique to data generated from 291 participants to develop CB metaframework predicted on the concepts of AI, CB, and KS. Our results suggest that AI advances consumer attitudes and behaviors when knowledge is acquired while online communities promote curiosity and engage consumers to learn by sharing experiences about specific products or services. Furthermore, understanding the causality between AI, CB, and KS concepts offers critical decision-making insights to marketing experts across the industry.