Stefano Puntoni

Erasmus University Rotterdam, University of Pennsylvania

Papers

Total Citations

439

H-Index

About

Stefano Puntoni is a leading voice at the intersection of marketing, technology, and consumer psychology, with a primary focus on how artificial intelligence and automation reshape consumer behavior and the workforce. His groundbreaking research reveals a critical tension in the digital age: consumers often exhibit a strong preference for human labor over robotic alternatives, particularly in contexts involving symbolic consumption—where human touch and meaning are paramount. Puntoni’s most-cited work, “Preference for Human (vs. Robotic) Labor is Stronger in Symbolic Consumption Contexts” (226 citations), along with his study on “Psychological reactions to human versus robotic job replacement” (161 citations), has fundamentally advanced our understanding of the psychological barriers to automation adoption. He further synthesized these insights into the influential Consumer–Autonomous Technology–Worker (CAW) framework (2023), bridging marketing and organizational behavior to map the complex triadic interactions shaping modern service encounters. By illuminating why people resist technological displacement and how firms can navigate these emotional and identity-driven responses, Puntoni’s work has become essential reading for scholars and practitioners alike, offering a human-centric lens on the future of work and consumption in an increasingly automated world.