Technology paternalism and smart products: Review, synthesis, and research agenda

Abstract

Artificial intelligence is increasingly influencing our daily lives. Algorithms enable objects to act autonomously, make decisions without the user's consent, and thus threaten the user's well-being in various ways. This can result in the perception of technology paternalism (TP). Although TP is a highly relevant issue in technology acceptance research, it has been largely ignored in recent scientific debates. Recent technology adoption research (such as the technology acceptance model) has largely ignored this issue. Very little is known about how smart products affect users' perceptions of autonomy and control, and how this affects product evaluation. This paper summarizes and discusses the state of knowledge on TP and develops a theoretical framework for the relationships between TP and technology acceptance and resistance. In addition, using psychological reactance theory (PRT), research propositions are presented to provide food for thought for future research and to highlight upcoming challenges in the acceptance research of smart products.