Research finds hotel booking chatbots can ‘creep out’ customers – Texas A&M Stories

Chatbot Discomfort: Users often feel uneasy when interacting with AI-powered chatbots on hotel booking platforms, leading to disengagement or delay in booking decisions.
Primary Flaw Identified: Inaccuracy, particularly incorrect pricing and policy misinterpretations, triggers the strongest negative reaction among users.
Impact on User Behavior: The perceived inaccuracy reduces willingness to continue interacting with the chatbot by almost 38% and doubles the likelihood of delaying or abandoning booking decisions.
‘Uncanny Valley’ Effect: Chatbots mimicking human-like speech that perform poorly create an unsettling ‘uncanny valley’ effect, increasing discomfort due to the gap between expectation and reality.
Effective Transparency: Clear disclosure and transparency can mitigate discomfort, especially by acknowledging the AI’s limitations, though it may initially heighten the feeling of deception.
Recommendations for Improvement: Researchers advocate for chatbots to start conversations with a clear AI identification and provide options for human assistance, along with upgrades in AI technology for better accuracy.
Dual Need for Competence and Transparency: For hospitality sectors to gain trust, both the competency of the AI and clear transparency in its capabilities are essential.

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