Siri,Alexa, and other digital assistants: a study of customer satisfaction with artificial intelligence applications

ABSTRACT

Digital assistants (e.g., Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, Google’s Google Assistant) are highly complex and advanced artificial intelligence (AI) based technologies. Individuals can use digital assistants to perform basic personal tasks as well as for more advanced capabilities. Yet, the functional and topical use of a digital assistant tends to vary by individual. This study reflects the contextual experiences of the respondents. At present, there is little empirical evidence of customer satisfaction with digital assistants. PLS-SEM was used to analyse 244 survey responses to examine this research gap. The results confirmed that expectations and confirmation of expectations have a positive and significant relationship on customer satisfaction with digital assistants. This study provides evidence that customer expectations are being satisfied through the digital assistant interaction experience. As firms integrate digital assistants into their operations, they must help customers properly define what to expect from the firm’s interactive experience.     

A $10 million question and other cybersecurity-related ethical dilemmas amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Cybercrime and cybersecurity are like two sides of the same coin: They are opposites but cannot exist without each other. Their mutual relation generates a myriad of ethical issues, ranging from minor to vital. The rapid development of technology will surely involve even more ethical concerns, like the infamous example of a fitness tracking company allegedly paying $10 million worth of ransom. Every cybersecurity solution, tool, or practice has to be ethical by design if it is to protect people and their rights. To identify the ethical issues that cybersecurity/cybercrime might bring about in the future, we conducted the first broad and comprehensive horizon-scanning study since the COVID-19 pandemic arose. As we began this project, nobody had the slightest idea that the coming months would bring the COVID-19 pandemic, and that the reality we had known was about to change dramatically. As it soon became apparent, the deadly coronavirus brought completely new cybersecurity/cybercrime ethical dilemmas to light, and some of the ones known before were transformed or shifted. This article presents the results of our horizon-scanning study concerning the ethical dilemmas that emerged amid the COVID-19 pandemic.     

The asymptotic expansion of the regular discretization error of Itô integrals

We study an Edgeworth‐type refinement of the central limit theorem for the discretization error of Itô integrals. Toward this end, we introduce a new approach, based on the anticipating Itô formula. This alternative technique allows us to compute explicitly the terms of the corresponding expansion formula. Two applications to finance are given; the asymptotics of discrete hedging error under the Black–Scholes model and the difference between continuously and discretely monitored variance swap payoffs under stochastic volatility models.     

Social isolation and social anxiety as drivers of generation Z's willingness to share personal information on social media

Generation Z's (gen z) sharing of personal information on social media is a growing phenomenon with significant ramifications. Existing research, however, focuses on examining the role of social and/or psychological factors and fails to consider how and when social, psychological, and organizational factors affect gen z's willingness to share personal information on social media. To fill this gap, we propose a conceptual model based on the tenets of sociometer theory, to understand the dynamics of gen z's willingness to share personal information while considering its process and boundary conditions. Using a sequential multi-study design, we conducted an experiment followed by a survey to test our hypotheses using data collected from gen z in India. Our findings show that when gen z feels socially isolated/anxious, they are more likely to share personal information on social media. The effect of social isolation on sharing of personal information increases when gen z fear that they are missing out on the rewarding experiences others are having, are engaged in repetitive negative thoughts and perceive their firm's privacy policy as transparent and ethical. Our findings provide a better understanding of why, how, and when gen z's are willing to share personal information on social media. We extend existing limited research on the psychological aspects of digital natives' interaction with modern technologies. Our results equip social media marketing and brand managers with the knowledge they need to increase gen z's willingness to share personal information.     

Using Social Influence Processes and Psychological Factors to Measure Pervasive Adoption of Social Networking Sites: Evidence from Pakistan

Social networking sites (SNS) have emerged as a popular and convenient tool for connecting with different groups of people on a specific platform. This study examines the effect of social influence processes and psychological factors on the behavior of students’ pervasive adoption of SNS. Data were collected through a survey questionnaire. Partial least square was used for data analysis. Findings reveal that privacy, identification, and internalization ensure significant association with the intention to use SNS, ultimately has a positive effect on the pervasive adoption of SNS and so does gender. However, men were found to be less aware of privacy issues.     

Factors affecting attitudes and behavioural intention towards social networking advertising: a case of Facebook users in South Korea

This study examined factors (e.g., ad values and social networking advertising characteristics) influencing consumers' attitudes and behavioural intention towards three types of social networking advertising (SNA) on Facebook – home page ad, social impression ad, and organic impression ad. Findings demonstrate that peer influence had the most significant impacts on attitude and behavioural intention across all types of SNA. The significant interaction term of invasiveness and privacy concern indicates that both attitude and behavioural intention were diminished, particularly when perceived invasiveness and privacy concern were high simultaneously. In addition, results suggest that attitudes towards the ad played a mediating role between SNA characteristics and behavioural intention. Lastly, among the types of SNA, consumers preferred organic impression ads that featured friends' names on their newsfeed more than paid ads located on the sidebar of their Facebook pages.     

Continuous-time American foreign exchange option pricing model

The flexibility of American foreign exchange option at exertion time can be measured by time value of capital. The paper develops a continuous-time American foreign exchange option pricing model using Black-Scholes currency model, CMG theorem of measure change and Ito calculus. The model is more simple and reliable than others.     

浅析人肉搜索与个人隐私权保护

近年来,在互联网领域出现的"人肉搜索"现象,已经受到人们越来越多的关注。"人肉搜索"作为一种信息搜索工具,结合了现代网络技术与传统检索的优点。它从虚拟社区向现实世界的这次跳跃,得到的并不仅仅是掌声,还有质疑甚至恐俱。一方面,它具有一定的社会舆论监督意义;另一方面,它往往会涉及侵害个人的隐私权以及侵犯公民的其他正当权益。因此,在保护公民合法权益的同时,发挥"人肉搜索"的正面作用,并对其加以理性约束,具有重要的理论和现实意义。     

The law and ethics of big data analytics: A new role for international human rights in the search for global standards

The Economist recently declared that digital information has overtaken oil as the world’s most valuable commodity. Big data technology is inherently global and borderless, yet little international consensus exists over what standards should govern its use. One source of global standards benefitting from considerable international consensus might be used to fill the gap: international human rights law. This article considers the extent to which international human rights law operates as a legal or ethical constraint on global commercial use of big data technologies. By providing clear baseline standards that apply worldwide, human rights can help shape cultural norms—implemented as ethical practices and global policies and procedures—about what businesses should do with their information technologies. In this way, human rights could play a broad and important role in shaping business thinking about the proper handling of this increasingly valuable commodity in the modern global society.     

Self-Regulation for Online Behavioral Advertising (OBA): Analysis of OBA Notices

This study assessed how and to what extent self-regulation of online behavioral advertising (OBA) is executed on participating companies' websites. Based on the principles of OBA, as outlined by the Digital Advertising Alliance and Federal Trade Commission, we analyzed the format of OBA notices, explanation of OBA notices, opt-out options, transparency, and use of unacceptable notices. A series of content analyses was done in the years 2013 and 2015. Our results indicated slight improvements over the years, but the specific details of the implementation continued to fall short of the standards. In terms of accessibility and visibility, many websites demonstrated problematic presentations or lack of the components necessary to increase consumers' understanding and control over the practice of OBA.