Consumers are increasingly using voice assistants (VAs) in their daily routines, especially to make purchasing decisions. However, despite their increasing presence in our lives, their influence on consumer purchasing has been largely overlooked in research.

Now, Professor Argiro Kliamenakis has received a School of Management Research Grant to study the influence of voice assistants on consumer decision-making.

Kliamenakis will explore which situations make consumers more likely to follow VA recommendations. Her research will also focus on how the social nature of a VA can influence consumer decisions. She’ll study how VAs influence the shopping experience, including the roles of VA characteristics and social norms.

What will the research contribute?

Not only could this research help companies develop product recommendation algorithms, but it could also have positive implications for society. For example, it could help make charities’ ads more effective, for the betterment of society. It could also add to the literature on the consumer behaviour.

By Phoenix Hudson