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Why wouldn't we feel moved anymore by a love letter, if it turns out to be an Internet quote or AI-generated? What truly matters is the thoughts behind the letter (or the action of writing)!Happy to share our first "hospitality-specific" theory paper! Dr. Lu Lu and I theorize, based on the philosophical discussions around the "problem of other minds" and "genuine hospitality," that consumers can recognize true hospitable values via AI providers' services/actions only if they see these AIs as conscious entities. Our study further predicts that AIs, no matter how closely they resemble humans in appearance and behavior (i.e., fully humanoid AI vs. Homo Sapience), will still be viewed as less conscious and, thus, less capable of showing genuine hospitality.
Specifically, our theorizing is based on necessity-based causality and Necessary Condition Analysis, a concept developed by Dr. Jan Dul (a special shout-out to him!). I'm overjoyed to have been part of this wonderful team for more than 5 years now!
Academic abstract
This research establishes the Consciousness Attribution Model of AI Hospitableness (CAMAH), an emerging theoretical framework that examines three interconnected aspects: (1) the mechanism of consciousness attribution by consumers towards AI-enabled service providers, (2) the necessity of such attributions in recognizing the symbolic value of AI hospitableness, and (3) a nuanced comparison between human and AI providers concerning their capacity to deliver genuine hospitability. At its core, CAMAH articulates seven foundational propositions around the argument that consuming genuine hospitality delivered by AI service providers necessitates consumers’ attribution of consciousness. Our model not only highlights a necessary condition under which AI providers are capable of offering symbolic values through their perceived hospitableness but also delineates the key boundaries of such perceptions, acknowledging the inherent distinctions between AI entities—notwithstanding their potential to emulate humanlike form/behavior—and humans.
Link
New article (IJHM) - Theorizing AI hospitableness
2024/09/23
Publication
Our study, coauthored with Dr. Lu Lu. has been featured in The Conversation US! A big thank you to Tom Benner and Bryan Keogh for collaborating with us on our news brief about self-service kiosks and restaurant waiting lines.
Our "waiting line" research is still on the way to making impacts! It's been highlighted in several spaces including:
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Featured in The Conversation
2024/08/29
Media Hits
I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as an Assistant Professor at the School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University!
Appointed as Assistant Professor at PolyU
2024/08/01
Academic Appointment
I recently had a brief interview with Jacob Sanders, a communication specialist at WalletHub. The discussion was centered around celebrating Independence Day positively and constructively. I expressed my thoughts on how to make the holiday both meaningful and financially efficient. Additionally, I emphasized the importance of incorporating sustainability into celebrating this significant day.
Link
Opinion Interview with WalletHub
2024/06/26
Media Hits
I'm thrilled to share an exciting update about our recent article, "Lined Up? Examining a 'Waiting Line' Effect in Technology-Enabled Restaurant Menu Ordering." Following being featured by the Fox Newsroom, it caught the eye of several additional media outlets such as Restaurant Business, Kiosk Marketplace, and Temple Now. It's heartening and quite a journey to witness our research ripple through the industry, possibly inspiring change.
In our research, Dr. Lu Lu and I dive into the fascinating dynamics of how waiting lines can shape the way customers interact with self-service technology when ordering from menus.
Link to the article:
“Waiting Line” Article Now Featured in More Media Outlets: Temple Now, Kiosk Marketplace, Restaurant Business
2024/04/12
Media Hits
This week, I was invited to deliver a guest lecture in Dr. Po-Ju Chen's graduate class at the TAMU Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism.
As an editorial board member of the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Cases (JHTC), I talked with PhD/Master's colleagues at TAMU, sharing insights on JHTC and case studies, and the exciting opportunity presented by the International CHRIE JHTC Case Study Competition. Following that, I also shared one recent research on the "waiting line effect" in tech-enabled menu ordering systems (https://lnkd.in/dNXVuiXh).
I'd like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Dr. Po-Ju Chen for her gracious invitation, and a special thanks to Drs. Brian EM King, Jim Petrick, and John Crompton for their warm welcome during my stay in Aggieland!
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This post was originally shared on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7181839585587453953/
Guest Lecture at TAMU’s graduate course
2024/04/02
Invited Talk
Honorably, I have been invited to join the editorial board of the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Cases (JHTC), a leading case study journal affiliated with International CHRIE.
As a PhD student, it's incredibly humbling to find myself in the company of esteemed hospitality/tourism professors serving on this board. Cases teach us how to apply theory in practice and how to induce theory from practice, so I will approach my role in JHTC with the principles case studies emphasize.
A huge thank you to Henri Kuokkanen for extending this kind invitation and for believing in my potential to contribute to the board!
*This article was first shared on LinkedIn. You can find the original post here: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7175113659038281728/
Joined JHTC Editorial Board
2024/03/17
Academic Appointment
Seeing my academic research suggest a real difference to our industry professionals is incredibly rewarding!
Extremely thankfully, Laila Samphilipo did a fantastic job of featuring our recent study (conducted with Dr. Lu Lu) in the Fox Newsroom! Her article communicates the key insights from our research findings to restaurant owners and managers, helping them understand what lessons they could apply.
If you'd also like to know why self-service kiosks might make customers feel more rushed than when they're served by human employees, especially with a queue behind them, please click on the link below:
Originally posted:
Article Featured in Media: Fox/STHM Newsroom
2024/02/19
Media Hits
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