The role of user perceptions of intelligence, anthropomorphism, and self-extension on continuance of use of personal intelligent agents

Personal Intelligent Agents (PIAs), such as Apple's Siri and Amazon's Alexa, are different from traditional information systems. They possess unique design features and are increasingly available through various technological devices. Due to PIAs' relative novelty, little is known about the determinants of their continued use. An investigation into PIAs' characteristics and their impact on users' post-adoption evaluations is expected to have theoretical and practical implications for PIA design and sustained usage. Our research model integrates perceptions of intelligence, anthropomorphism, and self-extension into the unified model of information technology continuance. Our findings show the key role of perceived intelligence of the PIA on continuance intention and indicate that hedonic perceptions of the agent become less important during post-adoption. Our results also highlight the role of perceived ownership and personalisation as antecedents of perceived self-extension.

Automated summary

Personal Intelligent Agents (PIAs), such as Siri and Alexa, have unique design features and are becoming increasingly available through various devices. However, little is known about the factors influencing their continued use. This study explores the characteristics of PIAs and their impact on users' post-adoption evaluations, providing insights for PIA design and sustained usage. The findings suggest that the perceived intelligence of the PIA plays a crucial role in its continued usage, while hedonic perceptions become less important over time. The study also highlights the importance of perceived ownership and personalization in influencing users' self-extension with the PIA.