Who is a Better Salesperson?

Abstract

Robots are being developed as tutors, restaurant staff, nursing assistants, and more. As their presence grows in businesses and other social spaces, it is pertinent to investigate how robot recommendations might influence our opinions and choices. This study examined how people conform to robot recommendations in the real world, using a bake sale or giveaway as a cover. A human or robot facilitator recommended one of two pens and cookies, and we tracked participant choices (N = 100). Results showed that participants were more likely to conform to the human's recommendation than the robot's. The low level of conformity to robots indicates that further innovation is necessary to enhance the effectiveness of robots as positive influencers (e.g. when robots recommend healthy diets or track healthy habits).