What is it about?
Businesses increasingly use AI chatbots to answer customer questions and recommend products. But what makes people trust and buy through a chatbot? We surveyed 390 Indonesian customers who had purchased mobile data through a WhatsApp chatbot. We examined whether giving chatbots human-like qualities, such as a friendly conversational style and empathy, makes interactions more enjoyable and satisfying. We also investigated the role of fast and accurate responses. Our findings show that human-like chatbots do not directly increase purchasing. Instead, they create a stronger sense of interacting with a real person, which makes the experience more enjoyable. At the same time, responsive chatbots that provide quick and accurate answers significantly improve customer satisfaction. Satisfied customers are much more likely to purchase products recommended by the chatbot.
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Why is it important?
As AI chatbots become a standard customer service channel, organizations need evidence on how to design them effectively. Our research shows that successful chatbot design is about more than adding a human face or personality. Human-like communication should be combined with fast, reliable responses to create enjoyable and satisfying customer experiences. These findings provide practical guidance for marketers, digital service designers, and AI developers. Investing in conversational design, empathy, and responsiveness can improve customer engagement and increase sales conversions. The study also contributes to research on AI-enabled customer experiences by explaining how anthropomorphism influences purchasing indirectly through enjoyment and satisfaction, rather than through a direct effect.
Perspectives
One aspect I particularly value about this study is that it was co-authored with my former master's student, who also works in the telecommunications industry. His practical experience inspired many of the research questions, while our academic approach provided a rigorous way to test them. The result is a study that bridges research and practice, offering evidence that is both scientifically robust and immediately useful for businesses developing AI chatbots.
Assoc. Prof. Imam Salehudin
Universitas Indonesia
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Exploring Chatbot Anthropomorphism as a Driver of User Satisfaction and Purchase Intention Through Perceived Enjoyment and Responsiveness, Asian Journal of Business Research, June 2026, Asia Business Research Group,
DOI: 10.14707/ajbr.260223.
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