Exploring the Role of Personal Innovativeness on Purchase Intention of Artificial Intelligence Products: An Investigation Using Social Influence Theory and Value-Based Adoption Model

While much AI adoption research emphasizes technological factors, few studies explore social determinants or consumer purchase intention. This study addresses this gap by examining how social influence affects Chinese consumers’ intention to purchase AI products. Conducted in the rapidly evolving Chinese market, an online survey of 538 respondents was analyzed using social influence theory and the value-based adoption model. Results show that social influence positively impacts perceived usefulness, enjoyment, and ease of use, while negatively affecting perceived cost. In turn, perceived usefulness and enjoyment significantly increase purchase intention, whereas perceived cost reduces it. Moreover, personal innovativeness moderates these relationships: it strengthens the effect of social influence on perceived ease of use and weakens its effect on perceived enjoyment, but shows no moderation effect on perceived usefulness or cost. These findings highlight the importance of integrating social and individual factors when investigating consumer behavior in emerging AI markets.

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