Research shows that mentioning AI in marketing copy can backfire, decreasing consumer trust and purchase intent.
A WSU-led project study A study published in the Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management found that explicitly mentioning AI in product descriptions could turn off potential buyers despite the growing presence of AI in consumer goods.
Main conclusions
The study, conducted among more than 1,000 American adults, found that products labeled AI consistently underperformed.
Lead author Mesut Cicek of WSU noted: “Mentions of AI decrease emotional trust, which hurts purchase intent.”
The tests covered a variety of categories: smart TVs, high-end electronics, medical devices, and fintech. Participants were shown identical product descriptions, differing only in the presence or absence of “artificial intelligence.”
Impact on high-risk products
AI’s aversion to “high-risk” offerings—products whose failure carries significant financial or safety stakes—has increased. These products naturally create more anxiety and uncertainty among consumers.
Cicek said:
“We tested the effect on eight different product and service categories, and the results were all the same: including these types of terms in product descriptions is a disadvantage.”
Implications for marketers
The main takeaway for marketers is to rethink AI messaging. Cicek advises carefully evaluating AI mentions or developing tactics to build emotional trust.
Focus on product features and benefits, not AI technology. “Avoid AI buzzwords,” Cicek warns, especially for high-risk offerings.
Research highlights that emotional trust is a key factor in the perception of AI products.
This creates a dual challenge for AI-driven companies: innovating products while simultaneously building consumer trust in the technology.
Looking forward
The increasing presence of AI in everyday life underscores the need to carefully deliver messages about its capabilities in consumer-facing content.
Marketers and product teams need to reevaluate how they present AI capabilities, balancing transparency and user convenience.
The study, co-authored by WSU Professor Dogan Gursoy and Temple University Associate Professor Lu Lu, lays the groundwork for further research into consumers’ perceptions of AI in different contexts.
As AI advances, companies need to keep up with changing consumer sentiment and adapt their marketing accordingly. This research shows that while AI can improve a product’s features, mentioning it in marketing can have an unexpected impact on consumer behavior.
The selected image: Wachiwit/Shutterstock
