Understanding (some) emotional roadblocks to AI adoption

When we consider the reasons supporting or hindering adoption of AI, there might be a tendency to focus on rational aspects, namely the trade-off between benefits such as time-savings or enhanced performance, on the one hand, and costs such as learning effort or the consequence of mistakes, on the other. But we are also emotional … Continue reading Understanding (some) emotional roadblocks to AI adoption

Why Women Must Engage with Generative AI (and How to Get Started)

Study after study after study shows that fewer women than men are using generative AI. Image source The reasons for this AI gender gap are numerous and, to be frank, are not new. Some of the causes mentioned in the emerging literature are: Lack of exposure to generative AI in the workplace: There is still a difference in … Continue reading Why Women Must Engage with Generative AI (and How to Get Started)

When Do Customers Trust AI-recommendations?

The question of when customers will welcome vs reject an AI recommendation is important from both a practical and a conceptual perspective. From the practical perspective, the answer to this question will inform investment in AI recommendation systems (where to invest, risks faced, AI-system features…). From a conceptual one, the answer reveals the boundary conditions … Continue reading When Do Customers Trust AI-recommendations?

New paper: Forced vs Voluntary Chatbot Use: How It Shapes Customer Satisfaction and Blame

As chatbots become an integral part of customer service, mistakes remain inevitable. Whether it’s a failure to understand the customer’s intent or an error in executing an order, such failures raise a key question: Who do customers blame— themselves or the company? Blame attribution shapes customers’ subsequent behaviour. For instance, if I think that I received … Continue reading New paper: Forced vs Voluntary Chatbot Use: How It Shapes Customer Satisfaction and Blame

Exploring the pros and cons of Substack

I started blogging on this day, 15 years ago, mostly as a means of capturing examples of marketing principles working in everyday life, and readings that were relevant for topics that I was working on. The style and frequency of blogging have changed over time, however, it remains an important part of how I share … Continue reading Exploring the pros and cons of Substack

Peace of mind, not technical features, as key to adoption of smart washing-machines and servitisation business models, and the modernisation of UK manufacturing

In the summer of 2023, I posted about a research project that was starting at the time. The project explored the factors that could support consumers’ adoption of smart appliances and servitisation business models, and, consequently, the modernisation of UK manufacturing. Focusing on washing machines, we explored the use of a range of digital features, … Continue reading Peace of mind, not technical features, as key to adoption of smart washing-machines and servitisation business models, and the modernisation of UK manufacturing

Can GenAI help me find the right gift for a GenZ?

Earlier this month, Perplexity, the search engine that uses LLMs to answer search queries, launched a shopping assistant. You enter the type of product you are looking for (e.g., Gift ideas for a male in his early 20s, who likes X and Y. My budget is Z). Then, you get recommendations, with links to where … Continue reading Can GenAI help me find the right gift for a GenZ?

Handwritten Notes: A Simple Way to Increase Sales

Back in the summer of 2021, I bought some sunglasses online. They arrived in a box with a handwritten note. I even mentioned it in the review that I wrote at the time: I don’t know whether the company did that out of instinct or following careful testing, but it looks like I wasn’t the … Continue reading Handwritten Notes: A Simple Way to Increase Sales

AI Labels Undermine Trust in Real News and Reinforce Confirmation Bias

Social media content is pushed at us by algorithms trying to keep us engaged with the platform. And, because sensationalist content tends to hold our attention more than non-sensationalist one, our feeds often get polluted by disinformation. Disinformation is a serious problem for society, leading many to look for ways of increasing our alertness to … Continue reading AI Labels Undermine Trust in Real News and Reinforce Confirmation Bias