A STUDY OF CONSUMER INNOVATIVENESS AND SERVICE CONVENIENCE ON THE INTENTION TO USE ROBOT SERVICES IN HOTELS

Abstract

As one of the core elements of development in the digital economy, artificial intelligence technology has penetrated into every aspect of people's lives. In more and more scenarios, AI is gradually replacing human beings and providing direct services to people. The hotel industry is a key scenario for the application of AI on the ground, and AI robots are helping to innovate hotel services and maintain a competitive edge with their intelligent advantages. But the value of this advantage still needs to be realised through high frequency interaction with consumers, but currently, according to data, 61% of consumers are still reluctant to interact with service robots. Therefore, exploring how to improve consumer acceptance of AI robots in hotels is an important prerequisite for the introduction of AI robots in the hospitality industry and is fundamental to maximising the value of AI robots in the hotel scenario. In this paper, an empirical survey was conducted in the survey area of “All Seasons Hotel”, which provides AI robot services in Shenzhen, and 391 valid questionnaires were collected from customers who have had AI robot services in hotels. The data were then analysed using SPSS and Smart PLS software to derive the impact of consumer innovativeness, service convenience and trust on the willingness to use AI robots in hotels.It was found that for hotels, service convenience can positively influence the intention to use hotel AI robots, while for individual consumer factors, consumer innovativeness cannot directly influence the intention to use hotel AI robots. Trust plays an important mediating role in the influence of service convenience and consumer innovativeness on the usage intention of hotel AI robots. This study providing new ideas and approaches to AI service innovation in the hotel industry.