Let's play: Me and my AI‐powered avatar as one team
基于创新扩散理论、技术接受模型和心流理论，研究感知易用性、有用性、优势、兼容性、享受、定制化和互动性如何影响玩家使用AI化身的意愿，基于500名中国在线游戏玩家的调查数据。
Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI) tools have altered the gaming industry, thanks to their newly incepted functionalities, which have enhanced the consumer experience. Building on innovation diffusion theory, technology acceptance model, and flow theory, this study highlights an AI‐powered avatar concept. This study explores the roles of perceived easiness, usefulness, advantage, compatibility, enjoyment, customization, and interactivity in forming the gamers' intention to play with AI‐powered avatars. A survey data of 500 respondents from China having experience playing online video games is used to test the proposed hypotheses. The results offer significant support to the proposed relationships related to adopting an AI‐powered avatar and the consumers' psychological association with its adoption. Consequently, the results imply that AI‐powered avatars should allow gamers to customize, interact, and take assistance to move up levels with an enjoyable experience. Moreover, this study also suggests that digital technologies such as AI could be integrated into the gaming environment for a more pleasing and immersive experience.