The effect of disabled employees on consumer responses: the moderating role of AI

Abstract

Purpose This article aimed to examine how the interaction between AI and employees with disabilities positively influences consumer responses in terms of brand attitude, purchase intention and recommend intention through consumers’ identification with all of humanity. Design/methodology/approach One survey and seven online experiments were conducted to test whether hiring individuals with disability (absent vs. present) and AI implication (absent vs. present) influence consumers’ responses, including consumers’ attitude toward the brand, purchase intention and intention to recommend. The data were analyzed using a series of t-tests, ANOVA and the PROCESS tool in SPSS. Findings Studies 1, 2a, 2b and 2c initially demonstrated that, across various contexts, consumers exhibit greater purchase intentions and higher recommendation intention for companies that employ disabled individuals. Study 3a, 3b and 3c revealed that both positive purchase intentions are mediated by consumers’ perceived common human identity. Study 4 provided further evidence for its mediating role and indicated that it is moderated by the implication of AI. Specifically, when consumers encounter scenarios where employees with disabilities work alongside AI, they experience an amplified sense of common human identity, which, in turn, enhances positive consumer responses. Practical implications Integrating qualified persons with disabilities into customer service teams, in collaboration with AI-powered systems, can cultivate more favorable consumer attitudes and elicit positive behavioral responses toward the firm. Originality/value The authors bridge the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and AI literature in the consumer domain by drawing on the self-categorization theory.

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