Author:

Keywords:

Banking and financial services,, AI-Powered customer service, Chatbot gender, AI literacy, Gender sensitivity, User intentions, Social Sciences, Business, Business & Economics, Banking and financial services, ARTIFICIAL-INTELLIGENCE, INFORMATION, LOYALTY, IMPACT, TRUST, WOMEN, 1503 Business and Management, 1505 Marketing, Marketing, 3506 Marketing, 3507 Strategy, management and organisational behaviour

Abstract:

Purpose – This study explores whether the gender of a financial chatbot influences how competent potential users perceive the chatbot to be and whether they would choose to use the chatbot themselves. Design/methodology/approach – The study had a between-subjects design: participants (N 5 420, ages between 18 and 75) viewed and evaluated either a male or a female financial chatbot. Data were collected via an online questionnaire. Findings – Male chatbots led to a significantly higher willingness to consult the service and were perceived as more competent. Furthermore, AI-literacy and sensitivity to gender perspectives significantly influenced these findings. Practical implications – The findings offer actionable insights for financial institutions to optimise chatbot interactions by considering user preferences for male versus female chatbots, potentially guiding the development of more effective AI-driven financial services. Companies can use these insights to tailor chatbot gender strategies to meet user expectations better and enhance service satisfaction. Originality/value – This study provides novel empirical evidence on the impact of chatbot gender in male dominated financial services, revealing how AI literacy and gender sensitivity influence consumer behaviour and perceptions