Scholarlink

<p>Artificial intelligence (AI)-supported chatbots have become a common communication interface between organizations and their stakeholders. Although these systems are designed to enhance efficiency and accessibility, failures in chatbot interactions may generate unexpected communication tensions at the user level. This study examines how chatbot interaction failures may evolve into micro-level communication crises from the user experience perspective. Using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with individuals who had recently interacted with organizational chatbots. The findings reveal that chatbot failures are not merely technical malfunctions but may function as communicative ruptures that weaken trust, generate frustration, and potentially trigger reputational risks for organizations. The study also identifies cognitive inclusivity—the ability of AI systems to recognize the diverse emotional and informational needs of users—as a preventive mechanism that may reduce the escalation of interactional failures. These findings contribute to the crisis communication literature by conceptualizing chatbot interaction failures as micro-level communicative dynamics capable of escalating into broader corporate communication crises.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

AI-supported chatbots as triggers of potential communication crises: a phenomenological study of user experiences

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月14日

查看全文
  • Murat Seyfi,
  • Hıdır Polat,
  • Yeliz Kuşay,
  • Deniz Güven

摘要

Artificial intelligence (AI)-supported chatbots have become a common communication interface between organizations and their stakeholders. Although these systems are designed to enhance efficiency and accessibility, failures in chatbot interactions may generate unexpected communication tensions at the user level. This study examines how chatbot interaction failures may evolve into micro-level communication crises from the user experience perspective. Using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with individuals who had recently interacted with organizational chatbots. The findings reveal that chatbot failures are not merely technical malfunctions but may function as communicative ruptures that weaken trust, generate frustration, and potentially trigger reputational risks for organizations. The study also identifies cognitive inclusivity—the ability of AI systems to recognize the diverse emotional and informational needs of users—as a preventive mechanism that may reduce the escalation of interactional failures. These findings contribute to the crisis communication literature by conceptualizing chatbot interaction failures as micro-level communicative dynamics capable of escalating into broader corporate communication crises.