How the Sociality of AI Digital Human Advisors Shapes User Experience Value in Digital Finance: The Mediating Role of Social Presence

Abstract

Emerging digital technologies are increasingly embedded in consumer-facing financial services, reshaping how users experience, evaluate, and engage with AI-mediated interactions. This paper investigates how the perceived sociality of AI Digital Human Advisors influences user experience in digital financial services. Sociality—defined as the extent to which users perceive an AI Digital Human Advisor as a socially capable actor (e.g., responsive, relational, and role-embedded) rather than a purely functional tool—was experimentally manipulated across four controlled behavioral experiments simulating interactions on financial platforms. The results from four controlled experimental simulations consistently demonstrate that, under controlled interaction conditions, high-sociality AI advisors significantly enhance both utilitarian and hedonic value. Social presence was found to partially mediate these effects, revealing the psychological mechanism through which social cues embedded in emerging AI technologies are transformed into experiential value. Furthermore, two boundary conditions were identified: communication style and usage context. Communication framed around task completion amplified the influence of sociality on utilitarian value, whereas interaction styles emphasizing social connection strengthened its effect on hedonic value. Likewise, purchase-related scenarios heightened functional perceptions, while browsing situations elicited stronger emotional responses. By situating AI Digital Human Advisors within the broader context of emerging digital technologies, these findings extend Social Response Theory into AI-mediated financial environments and provide insights into how technologically enabled social cues shape consumer experience and behavior in digital finance.

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