Consumer Choice and Autonomy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence and Big Data

10 Pages Posted: 7 Feb 2018

See all articles by Quentin André

Quentin André

Erasmus University, Rotterdam School of Management

Ziv Carmon

INSEAD

Klaus Wertenbroch

INSEAD - Marketing

Alia Crum

Stanford University

Frank Douglas

Analysis Group, Inc.

William Goldstein

University of Chicago - Department of Psychology

Joel Huber

Duke University - Fuqua School of Business

Leaf Van Boven

University of Colorado Boulder

Bernd Weber

University of Bonn

Haiyang Yang

Johns Hopkins University - Carey Business School

Date Written: February 7, 2018

Abstract

Recent developments in the field of artificial intelligence and data analytics are facilitating the automation of some consumer chores (e.g., in smart homes and in self-driving cars) and allow the emergence of big-data-driven, micro-targeting marketing practices (e.g., personalized content recommendation algorithms).We contend that those developments can generate a tension for marketers, consumers, and policy makers: They can, on the one hand, contribute to consumer well-being by making consumer choices easier, more practical, and more efficient. On the other hand, they can also undermine consumers’ sense of autonomy, the absence of which can be detrimental to consumer well-being. Drawing on diverse perspectives from marketing, economics, philosophy, neuroscience, and psychology, we explore how consumers’ sense of autonomy in making choices affects their wellbeing.

We discuss how new technologies may enhance or diminish consumers’ perceptions of being in control of their choices and how either of those can, in turn, enhance of detract from consumer well-being. Building on this, we identify open research questions in the domain of choice, well-being, and consumer welfare, and suggest avenues for future research.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Automation, Consumer Autonomy, Big Data, Consumer Choice, Micro-Targeting

Suggested Citation

André, Quentin and Carmon, Ziv and Wertenbroch, Klaus and Crum, Alia and Douglas, Frank and Goldstein, William and Huber, Joel and Van Boven, Leaf and Weber, Bernd and Yang, Haiyang, Consumer Choice and Autonomy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence and Big Data (February 7, 2018). Customer Needs and Solutions, Forthcoming , INSEAD Working Paper , Johns Hopkins Carey Business School Research Paper No. 18-03, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3119518

Quentin André

Erasmus University, Rotterdam School of Management ( email )

Burgemeester Oudlaan 50
Rotterdam
Netherlands

Ziv Carmon (Contact Author)

INSEAD ( email )

1 Ayer Rajah Ave
Singapore, 138676
Singapore

Klaus Wertenbroch

INSEAD - Marketing ( email )

1 Ayer Rajah Ave.
Singapore, 138676
Singapore

HOME PAGE: http://www.insead.edu/faculty-research/faculty/klaus-wertenbroch

Alia Crum

Stanford University ( email )

Stanford, CA 94305
United States

Frank Douglas

Analysis Group, Inc. ( email )

111 Huntington Avenue
10th floor
Boston, MA 02199
United States

William Goldstein

University of Chicago - Department of Psychology ( email )

5848 S. University Avenue
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Joel Huber

Duke University - Fuqua School of Business ( email )

Box 90120
Durham, NC 27708-0120
United States
919-660-7785 (Phone)

Leaf Van Boven

University of Colorado Boulder ( email )

University of Colorado Boulder
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, 345 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309
United States
303.735.5238 (Phone)
303.492.2967 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://psych.colorado.edu/~vanboven/

Bernd Weber

University of Bonn ( email )

Regina-Pacis-Weg 3
Postfach 2220
Bonn, D-53012
Germany

Haiyang Yang

Johns Hopkins University - Carey Business School ( email )

100 International Drive
Baltimore, MD 21202
United States

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
187
Abstract Views
1,120
Rank
292,124
PlumX Metrics