Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is leading changes across various industries and significantly contributing to improving the quality of everyday life. The global robotics market is expected to grow from USD$36.2 billion in 2021 to USD$103.3 billion by 2026, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.3%. In South Korea, the robotics industry was valued at KRW 5.6083 trillion in 2021, KRW 5.8933 trillion in 2022, and KRW 5.9805 trillion in 2023, showing consistent annual growth. Particularly, the CAGR of consumer service robots stands at 13.5%, and the consumer service robot market is estimated to reach USD$25.82 billion by 2028. This study analyzes the structural differences in how the psychological pathways of consumers vary in relationships where the dimensions of consumer value in AI service robots influence usage intention via attitude as a mediating factor. For this purpose, data from 266 consumers who expressed their willingness to use AI service robots were utilized for analysis. Using SPSS version 26 and Smart PLS version 3.0, the following conclusions were drawn. First, service value and utilitarian value had a positive effect on attitude, and attitude positively influenced usage intention. Next, the mediation effect analysis of attitude revealed that attitude mediates the relationship between service value, utilitarian value, and usage intention. Lastly, the moderation effect analysis based on gender revealed that men exhibit higher usage intention compared to women. Based on these findings, marketing strategies and implications for robotics-related companies were discussed.