When AI designs the product, consumers have doubts
MarketingDesignPsychology
THE AI ANGLE
Designing consumer products and optimizing materialsA study published in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science found that consumers perceive identical products as significantly less sustainable and engage with them less when they are labeled as 'AI-designed' rather than human-designed. Researchers identified that this skepticism is driven by an emotional lack of perceived 'genuine care,' as consumers associate sustainability with human moral intent and empathy rather than machine efficiency. This matters for faculty because it demonstrates how technological advances in product development can paradoxically undermine marketing and consumer trust if not carefully framed around human values.
THE TEACHING ANGLE
Students can examine the psychological tension between objective, AI-enabled design efficiency and the human perception of 'genuine care,' evaluating how brands should ethically and effectively communicate the values guiding their AI tools.Read the original at phys.org Generate teaching or study materials
More in Marketing
- Micro-dramas and the battle for attentionPhys.org — Social Sciences · September 15, 2026
- This design software reimagines everyday objects as self-aware devicesPhys.org — Technology · September 15, 2026
- AI updates can sometimes feel like breakups or losses, study findsPhys.org — Social Sciences · September 15, 2026
- No, AI systems don’t have a drive to survive – a developmental psychologist explains why it only looks that wayThe Conversation — Technology · September 15, 2026
- AI imagines a harsher social world, expecting punishment where people expect inactionPhys.org — Technology · September 15, 2026