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Artificial intelligence seems to be popping up in nearly every facet of consumer life, so it’s easy to think that brands that aren’t adopting artificial intelligence in their products are being left behind by those that do.
However, brands should think twice before tacking “AI” onto their product descriptions.
A recent June 2024 study from Washington State University of nearly 1,000 U.S. adults found that, despite all its hype, including the term “artificial intelligence” in a product’s description negatively influences consumer buying behavior.
Specifically, the study found that when the term “artificial intelligence” is used in a product’s description, consumers are less likely to say they intend to buy the product vs. when that term is not used. In fact, including “AI” actually lowered consumers’ emotional trust, which made them less keen to purchase – especially when a particular product has a higher perceived risk.
Study participants were shown two different product descriptions – one mentioning “artificial intelligence,” the other not – for seven different products: a TV, a car, customer service, a refrigerator, an illness diagnostic tool, a vacuum cleaner, and a smart lock.
Across all products, the AI descriptions made the product less appealing than the non-AI descriptions did. Cars and illness diagnostic tools with described AI capabilities were deemed most risky, and therefore least appealing for customers to purchase.
This means that brands should think carefully about their intended audiences – and whether their messaging risks negatively influencing customer behavior. To reach their consumer base where they are, brands should focus on the benefits, not the buzzwords – especially for those “riskier” products.
This study is an important reminder that words matter – and that research can help brands not only understand their audiences’ behaviors but also tailor their messages directly to them.
See the full results from the study here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19368623.2024.2368040#d1e1096
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