Prior AI Experience and Attitude toward AI-Based Smart Home Services: A Moderated Mediation Model of Perceived Benefits of AI and Digital Self-Efficacy

Prior AI Experience and Attitude toward AI-Based Smart Home Services: A Moderated Mediation Model of Perceived Benefits of AI and Digital Self-Efficacy

Smart home and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are developing rapidly, and various AI-based smart home systems can improve the quality of living for people. In this research, focusing on the AI-based smart home services for convenience, we explore the individual factors influencing the individuals' attitude toward AI-based smart home services. Specifically, we first examine whether prior AI experience and the perceived benefits of AI affect the attitude toward the AI-based smart home services (RQ1). Second, we examine whether the prior AI experience affects the attitude toward the AI-based smart home services via the perceived benefits of AI (RQ2). Third, we examine whether the mediation effect of the perceived benefits of AI on the association between prior AI experience and attitude toward the AI-based smart home services is moderated by digital self-efficacy (RQ3). To answer the research questions, we conducted some statistical analyses (i.e., hierarchical multiple regression analysis, mediation analysis, and moderated mediation analysis) using the Koreans who were aware of the AI-based smart home services. We find that (1) only the perceived benefits of AI are positively associated with the attitude toward AI-based smart home services; (2) the prior AI experience impacts the attitude toward AI-based smart home services via the perceived benefits of AI; and (3) the indirect effect of prior AI experience on attitude toward AI-based smart home services, via the perceived benefits of AI, significantly increases as digital self-efficacy increases from low to high level. Our findings provide important implications to enhance the attitude toward AI-based smart home services.