impact of artificial intelligence on consumer behavior — a case study of Uzbek e-commerce brands
Abstract
This study examines how artificial intelligence (AI) applications used by Uzbek e-commerce brands influence consumer behavior. Using a quantitative design, we collected survey data from online shoppers in Uzbekistan and tested the proposed relationships through structural equation modelling (SEM). Although the initial target was at least 100 responses, data screening (incomplete questionnaires and reliability checks) resulted in a final valid sample of 80 observations for analysis. The model assesses the effects of three AI-related features, such as AI-driven personalization, AI-enabled customer service (chatbots), and AI-based targeted marketing, on key customer outcomes (purchase decision-making, satisfaction, and loyalty). The results indicate that AI driven personalization and AI-enabled customer service have a statistically significant positive effect on customer outcomes, while targeted marketing shows a non-significant effect in the Uzbek e-commerce context. These findings contribute evidence from an under-researched emerging market and offer practical implications for e-commerce firms seeking to improve customer experience and retention in line Uzbekistan’s digital transformation agenda, the “Digital Uzbekistan – 2030” strategy. Study limitations and directions for future research are outlined.