Customer equity in the age of artificial intelligence: the moderating effects of chatbot perceived risk
(A2026-133696)

AUTHORS

Angelica Niros, Athens University of Economics & Business; Meletios Niros, Department of Business Administration, Athens University of Economics & Business; Grigorios Painesis, Prague University of Economics and Business; Marina Kyriakou, University of Piraeus; Apostolos Giovanis, Department of Business Administration, University of West Attica

ABSTRACT

This study examines how AI-powered chatbots shape customer equity in digital retail and how perceived chatbot risk moderates this process. Brand, value and relationship equity are conceptualised as customer equity drivers created by chatbot experience quality, which influence repurchase intention. Data were collected via an online survey of 383 consumers in Greece with chatbot encounters and analysed using CB-SEM. Results show that chatbot experience quality positively affects all three drivers, which predict repurchase intention, with REQ exerting the most substantial effect. Perceived chatbot risk has an asymmetric moderating role: it weakens the effects of VEQ and REQ on repurchase intention, but strengthens the impact of BEQ, indicating that strong brands act as trust anchors under high risk. The study extends customer equity research to AI-mediated encounters and offers guidance for managing chatbot risk in digital marketing.