The effectiveness of AI chatbots marketing efforts in building brand equity and customer response

Chatbots are becoming widely utilized as replacements for human agents to perform certain tasks in many industries, particularly in the e-commerce field. AI Chatbot is a computer program that conducts a conversation in natural language and sends a response based on business rules and data tuned by the organization, it is one of the significant advancements in the marketing services in recent years.
This study aims to explore the role of AI chatbot marketing efforts in building brand equity and consumers purchasing intentions. The study relied on the qualitative analysis of the chatbots on the websites of a number of commercial and service organizations in the Egyptian market, in addition to the survey that was applied to a sample of AI chatbot users in shopping operations.
The results showed that The chatbot on the websites of organizations has some attractive and effective elements such as anthropomorphism, the use of natural language, respect for privacy, disclosure of its identity before the start of the conversation with customers, as well as its ability to manage a communication process with a reasonable level of quality. Information, interaction and accessibility are the most prominent marketing efforts of the AI chatbot on the websites of organizations, while its ability to solve problems and customize messages and products to suit the individual needs of users has declined.
The survey found that the majority of the respondents adopted positive attitudes towards the use of chatbots in shopping operations, and towards the quality of the communication process managed by AI chatbots. Perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, reduced level of technological anxiety, as well as virtual flow factors (concentration and enjoyment) are the most motivating factors for customers to use AI chatbots and achieving satisfaction with its performance. The study confirmed a positive correlation between the marketing efforts of AI chatbot on the websites of the organizations and the respondents' awareness of the brand equity and purchase intention.