How AI Chat Agents’ Conversational Style Influence Customers – MSI

Working Paper

How AI Chat Agents’ Conversational Style Influence Customers

Feyzan Karabulut, Sarah G. Moore and Paul R. Messinger

Apr 10, 2025

Download

Uses online and lab studies to determine how service outcomes are influenced by AI chat agents’ use of three types of conversational content: informational, normative and relational.

Topics

research recap

Can Consumers Relate to AI Chat Agents? It Depends on Their Style

Where and how AI agents can effectively automate service encounters and other customer experience may depend on the type of conversational content involved. Customers may accept AI agents’ use of informational and normative content (conversational politeness cues) but resent attempts at relational content (“how are you?”) perceived to be inauthentic.

By using MSI.org you agree to our use of cookies as identifiers and for other features of the site as described in our Privacy Policy.