Consumer Trust in AI Algorithms Used in E-Commerce: A Case Study of College Students at a Romanian Public University

Daniel Teodorescu (), Kamer-Ainur Aivaz, Diane Paula Corine Vancea, Elena Condrea, Cristian Dragan and Ana Cornelia Olteanu
Additional contact information
Daniel Teodorescu: School of Education, Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA 30314, USA
Kamer-Ainur Aivaz: Faculty of Economic Sciences, Ovidius University of Constanta, 900573 Constanta, Romania
Diane Paula Corine Vancea: Faculty of Economic Sciences, Ovidius University of Constanta, 900573 Constanta, Romania
Elena Condrea: Faculty of Economic Sciences, Ovidius University of Constanta, 900573 Constanta, Romania
Cristian Dragan: Faculty of Navigation and Naval Transport, Constanta Maritime University, 900663 Constanta, Romania
Ana Cornelia Olteanu: Faculty of Navigation and Naval Transport, Constanta Maritime University, 900663 Constanta, Romania

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 15, 1-15

Abstract: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the factors associated with trust in AI algorithms used in the e-commerce industry in Romania. The motivation for conducting this analysis arose from the observation of a research gap in the Romanian context regarding this specific topic. The researchers utilized a non-probability convenience sample of 486 college students enrolled at a public university in Romania, who participated in a web-based survey focusing on their attitudes towards AI in e-commerce. The findings obtained from an ordinal logistic model indicated that trust in AI is significantly influenced by factors such as transparency, familiarity with other AI technologies, perceived usefulness of AI recommenders, and the students’ field of study. To ensure widespread acceptance and adoption by consumers, it is crucial for e-commerce companies to prioritize building trust in these new technologies. This study makes significant contributions to our understanding of how young consumers in Romania perceive and evaluate AI algorithms utilized in the e-commerce sector. The findings provide valuable guidance for e-commerce practitioners in Romania seeking to effectively leverage AI technologies while building trust among their target audience.

Keywords: ecommerce; trust in AI; AI algorithms; transparency; perceived usefulness of AI; familiarity with AI; Romania (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/15/11925/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/15/11925/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:15:p:11925-:d:1209528

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().