Artificial Intelligence and Brand Anthropomorphisation: the role of voice assistants

Artificial intelligence (AI) and voice assistants (VA) allow the brand to acquire, for the first time, two important properties typical of human beings: intelligence and voice. Despite the profound managerial transformations expected to be powered by AI, the consequences of AI voice-based applications for the brand have not yet been addressed by marketing scholars. Moreover, studies on the general role of voice in the field of branding are relatively scarce. Therefore, the objective of our work is to begin filling this gap by proposing a first conceptual framework aimed at interpreting the role that AI, VA and consumer-brand vocal interactions can play as the brand evolves towards a growing anthropomorphisation. Finally, the main academic and managerial implications are discussed.