Can AI feel safer than human advice for consumers who face discrimination?
What should you cook for dinner on a budget of 20 euros when you have a guest with a gluten intolerance? A shopper might ask a shop assistant for advice or consult, for example, Hopla, the AI-powered shopping assistant launched by French supermarket chain Carrefour. Behind this everyday choice lies a broader question: when faced with a recommendation, who do we trust more? A human being or an AI?
A recent study explores whether AI can provide safer advice for consumers who have faced discrimination. The research shows that when people have been treated unfairly, they may prefer AI recommendations over human ones, even in unrelated situations. This phenomenon, known as "algorithm aversion," is a known preference for human interaction.
However, the study reveals that discrimination can reverse this preference. Participants exposed to discriminatory situations reported higher levels of embarrassment, leading them to choose AI systems, which they perceive as neutral and free from bias. This shift in preference can be attributed to embarrassment, a social emotion that drives consumers to seek out systems they view as more objective.
The findings suggest that AI adoption is not solely driven by efficiency or performance but also by psychological factors shaped by past social experiences. For businesses, especially in sensitive sectors like banking, healthcare, and customer service, offering AI alternatives could help mitigate the negative psychological impact of discrimination and foster trust in AI systems.
Written by urgent.news from Phys.org's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
